Accuracy of simple predictive equations for visceral fat area after 8 weeks of training

Abstract

We previously proposed two predictive equations of visceral fat area applicable in a field setting (Demura & Sato, 2007a, 2007b). One uses the fat mass of the trunk measured by bioelectrical impedance as the main predictor (equation 1) and the other uses internal fat mass estimated from several anthropometric variables (equation 2). In this study, we examined the inter- and intra-individual accuracy of estimated values using these equations after 8 weeks of exercise training. Participants were 42 Japanese adults aged 42.7 ± 10.3 years (22 males, 20 females). Visceral fat area, body composition, and blood biochemistry were measured at baseline and after 8 weeks. There were no significant differences in reference visceral fat area measured by computed tomography and visceral fat area predicted by the equations either at baseline or after 8 weeks, and the values were highly consistent (equation 1: baseline R ² = 0.829, after R ² = 0.860; equation 2: baseline R ² = 0.832; after R ² = 0.850). No significant relationship was observed between the reference and change in visceral fat area for equation 1 (males: r = 0.272, P > 0.05; females: r = 0.428, P > 0.05), but there was a significant relationship for females with equation 2 (males: r = 0.279, P > 0.05; females: r = 0.474, P <0.05). Our findings indicate that these equations have high inter-individual consistency but low intra-individual consistency with the reference and are of limited use for the longitudinal evaluation of visceral fat area.

Keywords:

• Cross-sectional evaluation
• longitudinal evaluation
• skinfold method
• internal fat mass
• bioelectrical impedance analysis

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Science Research, the Japan Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture (2005–2008 Demura Projects #17300217). This project was supported by Warani Medical Corporation, Houju Memorial Hospital (Midorigaoka, Nomi, Ishikawa, Japan, URL http://www.houju.or.jp) and Aman Corp. Sports Resort Aman (Tomuro, Nomi, Ishikawa, Japan, URL http://www.sr-aman.com/index.html).