12. Methods to Estimate Body Composition
◦ Direct method:
◦ Physical dissection
◦ Chemical dissolution
◦ Indirect method
◦ Hydrostatic Weighting
◦ BOD POD
◦ Dual Energy
◦ X-Ray
◦ Absorptiometry
◦ BIA CT and MRI
◦ BIA Skinfold and circumference
13. Direct method:
◦ Physical dissection: A landmark study was carried out in the 1980’s where 25 bodies were
completely dissected (13 female and 12 male cadavers, age range 55–94 years, 12 embalmed and
13 unembalmed)
◦ This was a collaboration of Bill Ross (SFU) and Dr. Jan Clarys (Frei Universitiet Brussels) which later
on came to be known as the Brussels Cadaver Analysis study After comprehensive
anthropometry, each cadaver was dissected into skin, adipose tissue, muscle, bones, organs and
viscera.
◦ Volumes and densities of all tissues were determined by weighing the tissues underwater
Chemical dissolution: Involves analysis of the human cadavers whereby dissolving the body into
fat and fat-free components
18. COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY (CT)
◦Generates detailed cross-sectional, 2 dimensional radiographic
images
◦Passes x-ray beam through tissues of different densities
◦ Provides quantitative information on: Total tissue area, Total fat
and muscle area, thickness and volume of tissues within organ
19. MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING (MRI)
◦MRI effectively provides quantitative information on total
and subcutaneous adipose tissue in individuals of varying
degrees of body fatness.
20. Estimating Percent Body Fat
Skinfold measurements: Folds of skin are
measured with a caliper.
The measurements are used in equations that
link the thickness of skinfolds to percent body
fat calculations made from more precise
experiments.
21. Body Composition Assessment Techniques
Skinfold Technique
•Layers of subcutaneous fat are measured at different sites
of body to estimate total body fat levels.
Advantages
•Fairly accurate
•Easy to perform
•Inexpensive
•Disadvantages
•Human error
