Date of Award

5-1-2022

Degree Type

DPT Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)

Advisor

Alvaro Gurovich

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is two-fold: 1) to determine the agreement between ultrasound (US) imaging and mechanical skinfold (SF) caliper measurements using a standardized protocol and 2) to determine the agreement between SF caliper and US imaging inestimating total body fat mass and percent body fat mass using anthropometric formulas for body composition.

Methods: The present study has a repeated measures design where 2 independent testers measured 8 SFs using a mechanical caliper and US imaging, respectively, on 49 volunteers (24 males and 25 females). Anthropometric protocol followed the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry’s (ISAK) standardization and both testers were ISAKcertified level-2 anthropometers. First, one independent tester performed the landmarks for all 8 SF sites (i.e. triceps, subscapular, biceps, iliac crest, supraspinal, abdominal, front thigh, and medial calf) and then performed a full ISAK anthropometric profile, including SFs, girths, lengths, and breadths. Finally, participants moved to a separate room where the second tester, who was also a trained ultrasound technician, performed all the US imaging on the same ISAK SF sites. Pearson’s correlations, Interclass Correlations, and Bland-Altman analyses wereperformed to test association and agreement, respectively.

Results: Significant associations were found between mechanical SF caliper measurements vs US1 and US2 (r = 0.66-0.95, p<0.01) in all measurement sites in males, females, and overall. Significant associations were found in fat mass and % fat mass between using mechanical SF caliper measurements vs US Formula (r = 0.94 and 0.92, respectively, p<0.01) and using mechanical SF caliper measurements vs using US2 (r = 0.91 and 0.92, respectively, p<0.01) when analyzing overall sample.

Discussion: Skinfold calipers have been a reliable and valid tool for assessing body fat and when a standardized protocol is taken it can yield accurate results. Ultrasound is a tool that is becoming more affordable and readily available. Our study shows that when the ultrasound measurements are taken by themselves to assess body fat the agreeability is moderate, but when adjustments are made it can yield nearly perfect results. We propose that with the use of the regression method formulas and the application formulas derived from Deborah Kerr, it can be used as part of the ISAK protocol to give accurate and comprehensive body profiles.

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