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  • Original Article
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Air displacement plethysmography can detect moderate changes in body composition

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 61, pages 25–29 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Objectives:

To determine the sensitivity of air displacement plethysmography (APD) for evaluation of changes in body composition in normal subjects.

Design:

Comparison of measurements with and without oil or water loads.

Subjects and methods:

Ten healthy volunteers were analyzed, without and with 1 l and 2 l of oil or water. The measured and true changes in fat mass and fat-free mass were compared by paired t-tests. A correlation study and a Bland & Altman procedure was performed on the 60 measurements of adiposity changes in 30 subjects carrying 0.5 l (n=8 × 2), 1 l (n=10 × 2) and 2 l (n=12 × 2) oil and water loads.

Results:

Fat-free mass increased when the 10 subjects were carrying water. When they carried oil, fat mass increased, however, a ∼0.5 kg increase of fat-free mass was also detected. Two liters loads led to distinct changes: +1.49±0.59 kg fat and +0.50±0.60 kg fat-free with oil and +0.37±0.57 kg fat and +1.70±0.56 kg fat-free with water (both P<0.001). Mixed loads (+1 l oil and 1 l water) led to detect +0.85±0.48 kg fat and +1.09±0.45 kg fat-free (both P<0.005 vs without load). For the 30 subjects analyzed thrice, measured changes in fat and fat-free mass were slightly underestimated (−15%, NS) but correlated with the true changes. Measured changes in adiposity were correlated with the true changes, with no bias as indicated by the Bland & Altman procedure.

Conclusion:

APD detects ∼2 kg changes in fat or fat-free mass in small populations.

Sponsorship:

This work was supported by a grant from the ALFEDIAM and the Institut de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine en Aquitaine.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dr S Jarman for revision of the English manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nutrition-Diabétologie, USN, Hopital Haut-Lévêque, Pessac, France

    A Secchiutti, C Fagour, C Perlemoine, H Gin, J Durrieu & V Rigalleau

  2. Université Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, 146, rue Léo Saignat, Bordeaux, France

    A Secchiutti, C Fagour, C Perlemoine, H Gin, J Durrieu & V Rigalleau

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  1. A Secchiutti
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Correspondence to V Rigalleau.

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Secchiutti, A., Fagour, C., Perlemoine, C. et al. Air displacement plethysmography can detect moderate changes in body composition. Eur J Clin Nutr 61, 25–29 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602482

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