Body fat assessment in Sri Lankan adolescent girls; development of a simple field tool

Abstract

Background: Development of accurate, simple measures of body fat is essential in developing countries due to the rising prevalence of overweight and obesity. Application of skin-fold thickness (SFT) to body fat prediction equations is an inexpensive method suitable for field settings.

Aim: To determine percentage fat mass (%FM) of Sri Lankan adolescent girls using Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometry (FTIR) as a reference method and develop a SFT-prediction equation to estimate %FM.

Methods: Weight, height and SFT were measured and %FM determined by FTIR in 131 adolescent, post-menarcheal girls (15–19 years). SFT-measurements were applied to available body composition equations for validation in the population. A new equation for %FM was derived and validated.

Results: Mean %FM (FTIR) was 19.13 ± 8.2.Selected body composition prediction equations over-estimated %FM. The multiple regression procedure yielded a final equation consisting of two anthropometric and one demographic variable, %FM = 9.701 − (0.460)* age+(0.640)*TricepsSFT+(0.583)*Supra-iliacSFT.

Conclusions: Existing SFT prediction-equations are unsuitable for predicting %FM in this population. The new equation utilizing one peripheral and one truncal skin-fold, is appropriate for prediction of %FM in this population and may be applicable to other South Asian/Asian-Indian adolescents following validation.

Keywords::

• Skin-fold thickness prediction equations
• adolescent girls
• Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry

Acknowledgements

Mr Tissira Andrahennadi, Techinical Officer, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo for assistance with the FTIR.

Declaration of interest: Financial support from International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Vienna: (SRL/6/030), for supplying instruments, equipment and chemicals, and the Nutrition Coordination Division, Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition, Sri Lanka: (2.1.b.G/vi) for financing the local expenses. The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.