PERM3017 Health Fitness Evaluation and Assessment

Dr. Jojo JIAO

Lab #4: Assessment for Body Composition Date: 17.10.2024

Name: Mai Ching Yin Student No.: _20222521___

#You need to submit this lab assignment before or on the class of October 24, 23:59
(next Thursday). Late submission is NOT allowed and thus will not be graded.

This practical session aims to introduce some assessment methods of body composition.

Body composition

There are several methods available for estimating the body composition (eg. underwater
weighting, Skinfold, Bioelectrical impedance, and Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry). It
should be noted that none of them can measure the true composition of the body.

Activity 1: Skinfolds

Skinfolds is a method for assessing body fat percentage based on the assumption that the
subcutaneous fat is proportional to the total body fat. There are several versions of
skinfolds including 3-site skinfolds, 4-site skinfolds and 7-site skinfolds with their own
standardized skinfolds sites and measurement procedure. Skinfolds measurement requires
proper training as the measuring technique will affect the accuracy of measurement.

Procedure:

1. Measure the right for consistency

2. Pinch the skin at the appropriate site to raise a double layer of skin and adipose tissue.
Avoid raising the muscle.

Image source: The Hong Kong Jockey

Club youth football fitness assessment
manual 2014

3. Apply the caliper at 1cm below perpendicular to the pinch and take the measurement
2s later

4. The mean of two measurements should be used for the calculation of body density

Table 1A Skinfold sites and measurement

Skinfold Site

Biceps Vertical fold; on the anterior aspect of the arm over the belly of the biceps
muscle; 1 cm above the level used to mark the triceps site

Triceps Vertical fold; Posterior midline of the upper arm; Halfway between the
acromion (shoulder) and olecranon processes (elbow); Arm held freely to the
 side of the body

Chest/ Men: Diagonal fold; one-half the distance between the anterior axillary line
Pectoral (crease of the underarm) and the nipple

Women: Diagonal fold; one-third of the distance between the anterior axillary
line and the nipple

Midaxillary Vertical fold: Midaxillary line at the level of the xiphoid process of the
sternum

Horizontal fold: Level of the xiphoid/sternal border in the midaxillary line.

Medial Calf Vertical fold; at the maximum circumference of the calf on the midline of its
medial border

Subscapular Diagonal fold; 1 to 2 cm below the inferior angle of the scapula

Suprailiac Anterior axillary line (modern technique): Diagonal fold; immediately superior
to the iliac crest;

Mid-axillary line (traditional technique): Diagonal fold; Superior to the iliac

crest

Abdominal Vertical (modern technique): 2 cm or 1" to the right side of the umbilicus

Horizontal fold (traditional): 2 cm to the right side of the umbilicus

Thigh Vertical fold; anterior midline of the thigh; midway between the proximal
border of the patella (upper knee) and the inguinal crease (hip)

References
 Durnin JV, Womersley J. Body fat assessed from total body density and its estimation
from skinfold thickness: measurements on 481 men and women aged from 16 to 72
years. Br J Nutr. 1974;32(1):77-97.

Siri WE. Body composition from fluid space and density. In J. Brozek & A. Hanschel
(Eds.), Techniques for measuring body composition: In J. Brozek & A. Hanschel (Eds.),
Techniques for measuring body composition; 1961.

Data Recording Sheet

Site 1st measurement (mm) 2nd measurement (mm) Average (mm)

Bicep 12 / 12

Tricep 18 / 18

Subscapular 17.5 / 17.5

Suprailiac 11 / 11

Sum of the skinfolds 58.5

(mm):

Durnin & Womersley body density equation is one of the models developed for estimated
body density D using skinfold measurement (Formula 1). Body density can be converted
to body fat percentage by different equations. The most commonly used equation is the
Siri equation (Formula 2).

Table 1B Durnin & Womersley Body density equation (Formula 1):

age equations for males equations for females

(years)

< 17 D = 1.1533 - (0.0643 X Log of the total of four D = 1.1369 - (0.0598 X Log of the total of four
skinfolds (mm)) skinfolds (mm))

17-19 D = 1.1620 - (0.0630 X Log of the total of four D = 1.1549 - (0.0678 X Log of the total of four
skinfolds (mm)) skinfolds (mm))
20-29 D = 1.1631 - (0.0632 X Log of the total of four D = 1.1599 - (0.0717 X Log of the total of four
skinfolds (mm)) skinfolds (mm))

30-39 D = 1.1422 - (0.0544 X Log of the total of four D = 1.1423 - (0.0632 X Log of the total of four
skinfolds (mm)) skinfolds (mm))

40 -49 D = 1.1620 - (0.0700 X Log of the total of four D = 1.1333 - (0.0612 X Log of the total of four
skinfolds (mm)) skinfolds (mm))

> 50 D = 1.1715 - (0.0779 X Log of the total of four D = 1.1339 - (0.0645 X Log of the total of four
skinfolds (mm)) skinfolds (mm))

D = body density (Should be between 1.0 and 1.1)

Body fat percentage = (495/ body density) - 450 (Formula 2)

Body density D (kg/L): _1.033_ Body fat percentage (%): _29.1%__

Activity 2. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA):

BIA is a non-invasive and easy-to-administer tool to measure body composition. The

rationale behind the BIA is that fat is a poor electrical conductor due to less water content
(high impedance), while lean tissue is a relatively good electrical conductor due to
relatively high-water content (low impedance). During the test, small electrical currents
will flow through the body, and the impedance to those currents are measured.

Procedure:

1. Turn the Inbody BIA scales on.

2. Wipe your hands and feet with an alcohol tissue.

3. Step on the foot electrode with bare feet. Make sure to align your feet with the foot
electrodes.

5. Enter your personal profile/choose guest test.

6. Pick up and hold the hand electrode. Keep your arms straight and away from your
body.

Data Recording Sheet

Body mass (kg): __67.3_____ Skeletal muscle mass (Kg) __24_____

Body fat mass (kg): __17.4_____ Body fat percentage (%) ___25.3____

Normative value of percentage body fat for men and women from the American
Council on Exercise (ACE)
Activity 3. Hydrostatic or Underwater Weighing:

Hydrostatic weighing or underwater weighing is a form of densitometry, which derives

body composition from body density and body volume. It is based upon the two
compartments of body compositions which assumes the body weight is composed of fat
free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM). Thus, the density of the body can be determined
upon the relative size of the two compartments.

Body density expressed as mass per unit volume, where mass is the weight of the body in
air (Ma), and volume is the difference between the weight in air and the weight of the
body submersed during underwater weighing (BMA – BMW).

Procedure:

Pre-Test

 Record the participant’s Age, Height, and dry weight (with only swimwear on).

 Predict the participant’s Residual Volume (RV)

Predicted Residual Volume (Boren et al., 1966)

Male RV = [0.0115 * (age)] + [0.019 * (height in cm)] – 2.240

Female RV = [0.0210 * (age)] + [0.023 * (height in cm)] – 2.978

 Record water temperature and water density.

 Empty bowels and bladder before conducting the test.

 Swimwear is worn to avoid trapping of air when submerged in water.

 All accessories on body should be removed.

Test

 Record the tare weight by hanging the empty chair on the Chatillon scale.

 The participant sits on the chair that hangs on the scale and submerges in water to
wet the hair and swimwear to remove all trapped air from the hair and swimwear.
 The participant is then instructed to submerged fully under water by pulling the
head down to the knees, and forcefully expel as much air from the lungs as
possible.

 When maximal exhalation is reached, the participant further needs to hold his/her
breath for approximately 10s.

 Record the reading (to the nearest 20g-50g) from the scale when oscillations are
at minimal. Signal the participant to take a breath and ready for the next trial.

 The procedure is repeated 6 – 8 times, depending on the consistency of the values.

The average of the two highest overall values is designated as the underwater
weight.

 When all trials are completed, the participant carefully exits the tank and dries off.
 Weight in Air [BMA] (Kg): 64.5
Date: 17 Oct 2024
Weight in Air [BMA] (g): 64500

Predicted RV (L): 1.0985

Subject Name:
Predicted RV (ml): 1098

Age: 21 Water Temperature (°C):

Gender: M Water Density relative to water temperature (g∙ml-1): 0.995054

Height (cm): 163 Tare Weight (g): 640

Mean of
two highest
Trials 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
values
[BMw] (g)

Weight in
Water 4500 4900 4750 4800 4800 4800 4850
[BMW] (g)

Weight in Water [BMW] (g)

4850-640-300= 3910
Mean [BMw] – Tare Weight = Net [BMw]

Body Density (DB) 1.078

 BM A (g)
= BM A ( g )−BM W (g)
−RV (ml)
water density

% BF: Hydrostatic Weighing % BF:BIA

%BF:Skinfolds

% Body Fat (Siri Equation)

4.95 9.18% 15% 15.5%

=[ −4.50] * 100%
Body Density
References

Boren, H. G., Kory, R. C., & Syner, J. C. (1966). The Veterans Administration-Army
cooperative study of pulmonary function: II. The lung volume and its subdivisions in normal
men. The American Journal of Medicine, 41(1), 96-114.
Guideline of lab report 4:

Question 1: Calculate your estimated body fat percentage by skinfolds and compare it with
the BIA result. Address and discuss the factors that affect the accuracy of body fat
composition measurement using skinfold and BIA respectively.

The results show a difference of 3.8% between the two methods (29.3% via skinfold and
25.3% via BIA).

Skinfold
The standard error of estimate for skinfold is around 3.5% according to ACSM. However,
this SEE applies when 9 body sites are measured and the technician is trained.

Skinfold measurements heavily replies on the skill of the person taking the measurements.
The testers in this test are inexperienced and untrained testers, who may apply inconsistent
pressure or measure at incorrect sites, affecting the accuracy of the result.
In this test, only 4 sites are tested. The fat distribution vary among individuals, hence the
equation used might not match the demographic profile of the individual being measured.
Factors such as skin elasticity, hydration level , and skin thickness can also affect the
accuracy of the measurements. Hence the SEE for this test is absolutely higher than 3.5%.

BIA
The SEE for BIA test is 3.5%-5%.

However, BIA can still be affected by multiple variables, including hydration levels, food
intake, recent physical activity, device quality, positioning of body and skim temperature.

Question 2: A 30-year-old female client’s body weight is 80kg with 32% body fat. If she goes
on a diet plan and she wants the targeted % body fat to be 25%, theoretically what should be
her final desirable body weight in kg? Assuming she will lose 0.5 kg per week, how many
weeks will she need to achieve the final desirable body weight?

1. Calculate LBM:
LBM= 80×(1−0.32)= 80×0.68= 54.4 kg
2. Calculate Final Desirable Body Weight:
Let x be the final desirable body weight.
LBM= x(1−Target Body Fat Percentage)
 54.4= x(1−0.25)
x= 72.53 kg

3. Calculate Weeks Needed:

Initial body weight = 80 kg
Weight to lose = 80−72.53=7.47 kg
Weeks needed = 7.47/0.5= 14.94

Hence, Approximately 15 weeks are needed and the target weight to lose is 7.47kg