Comparison of segmental multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry for the assessment of body composition in a community-dwelling older population.

AIM

The purpose of the present study was to examine the agreement of segmental multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (SMF-BIA) for the assessment of whole-body and appendicular fat mass (FM) and lean soft tissue mass (LSTM) compared with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in a community-dwelling Japanese older population.

METHODS

The study population included 551 community-dwelling Japanese older adults (241 men and 310 women) aged between 65 and 87 years. Agreement between SMF-BIA and DXA for whole-body and appendicular body composition was assessed using simple linear regression and Bland-Altman analysis.

RESULTS

High coefficients of determination (R(2)) were observed for whole-body FM (R(2) = 0.91, standard error of estimate [SEE] = 1.4 kg in men and R(2) = 0.94, SEE = 1.2 kg in women) between SMF-BIA and DXA. The R(2) coefficient for whole-body LSTM was higher in men (R(2) = 0.88, SEE = 1.9 kg) than in women (R(2) = 0.83, SEE = 1.5 kg). There was systematic bias with overestimation of whole-body FM and underestimation of whole-body LSTM by SMF-BIA. Proportional bias was noted for measurement of whole-body FM and LSTM in both men and women, but there was no proportional bias between the two methods for measurement of appendicular LSTM (r = 0.05, P = 0.428 and r = -0.10, P = 0.070 for men and women, respectively).

CONCLUSION

SMF-BIA is a good alternative for estimating the whole-body and appendicular FM and LSTM in a community-dwelling Japanese older population, although it overestimated FM and underestimated LSTM when validated against DXA.