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Validation of the BOD POD with hydrostatic weighing: Influence of body clothingin

International Journal of Obesity volume 24, pages 200–205 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Whole body air-displacement plethysmography (BOD POD), a new body composition technique, was validated against hydrodensitometry (UWW) in 67 women wearing a one-piece swimsuit (OP) who represent a wide range of body fatness and age. Additionally, the effect of trapped isothermic air in clothing while in the BOD POD was examined by comparing different clothing schemes (a one-piece swimsuit (OP), two-piece swimsuit (TP), a hospital gown (HG), and a hospital gown previously included in a volume calibration (GC)) in a subset of 25 women.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional data analysis.

SUBJECTS: 67 healthy Caucasian females.

MEASUREMENTS: Body density g/cm3 (Db) by BOD POD and UWW.

RESULTS: In 67 females UWW Db (1.030±0.020 g/cm3) was higher (P<0.01) than BOD POD Db (1.028±0.020 g/cm3). This is a difference of 1.0% fat. The R2 was 0.94, SEE was 0.005 g/cm3 and the regression between Db by UWW and BOD POB did not significantly deviate from the line of identity. In the subset group of 25 subjects, OP Db (1.040±0.014 g/cm3) and TP Db (1.040±0.014 g/cm3) were significantly lower (P<0.01) than UWW Db (1.044±0.014 g/cm3) or a difference of 1.9% fat. The R2 was 0.86 and the SEE was 0.005 g/cm3 and the regression between Db by UWW and both OP and TP did not significantly deviate from the line of identity. HG Db (1.056±0.016 g/cm3) and GC Db (1.037±0.016 g/cm3) were significantly different (P<0.01) from UWW Db (1.044±0.014 g/cm3). This difference in density translates to a difference of 5.5% and 3.2% fat respectively. The regression between Db by UWW and both HG and GC significantly deviated from the line of identity.

CONCLUSION: This study supports the use of the BOD POD as a substitute for UWW. However, caution should be made in using the BOD POD if subjects are clothed in anything other than a tight fitting swimsuit.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Physiology and Metabolism, Departments of Nutrition Sciences and Human Studies, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA

    DA Fields, GR Hunter & MI Goran

  2. Department of Preventive Medicine, Institute for Preventive Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    MI Goran

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  1. DA Fields
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  2. GR Hunter
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  3. MI Goran
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Correspondence to GR Hunter.

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Fields, D., Hunter, G. & Goran, M. Validation of the BOD POD with hydrostatic weighing: Influence of body clothingin. Int J Obes 24, 200–205 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801113

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