AGREEMENT BETWEEN ULTRASOUND PROTOCOLS FOR THE ESTIMATION OF BODY FAT PERCENTAGE: COMPARISON TO A FOUR-COMPARTMENT MODEL.

The purpose of this study was to examine the agreement between body fat percentage (%Fat) estimates derived from a standardized ultrasound protocol (%Fat IASMS ), a commonly used skinfold (SKF)-site based ultrasound protocol (%Fat JP ), and a criterion four-compartment (4C) model (%Fat 4C ). For the ultrasound protocols, all measurement sites were marked, measured, and analyzed by the same evaluator. Subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) thickness was measured manually at the region where the muscle fascia was parallel to the skin and the average value per measurement site was used to calculate body density (Db) and subsequently %Fat. A repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with a priori planned contrasts, was used to compare %Fat values between the 4C criterion and both ultrasound methods. Small non-significant mean differences were observed between %Fat IASMS (18.82±14.21 %Fat, ES=0.25, p=.178), %Fat JP (18.23±13.32 %Fat, ES=0.32, p=.050) and the %Fat 4C criterion (21.70±7.57 %Fat); however, %Fat IASMS did not yield a smaller mean difference than the %Fat JP (p=.287). Additionally, %Fat IASMS (r=.90, p<.001, SEE=3.29%) and %Fat JP (r=.88, p<.001, SEE=3.60%) were strongly correlated with the 4C criterion, however %Fat IASMS did not yield better agreement than %Fat JP (p=.257). Despite slightly underestimating %Fat, both ultrasound techniques demonstrated "Good - Very Good" agreement with the 4C criterion, with comparable mean differences, correlations, and SEE. The IASMS standardized protocol using manual calculations of SAT was comparable to the SKF-site based ultrasound protocol when compared to the 4C criterion. These results indicate that the IASMS (with manually measured SAT) and SKF-site based ultrasound protocols may be of practical use to clinicians. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.