A new anthropometric index to predict percent body fat in young adults

Abstract

Objective: To propose a new anthropometric index that can be employed to better predict percent body fat (PBF) among young adults and to compare with current anthropometric indices. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: All measurements were taken in a controlled laboratory setting in Seoul (South Korea), between 1 December 2015 and 30 June 2016. Participants: Eighty-seven young adults (18-35 years) who underwent dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) were used for analysis. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to develop a body fat index (BFI) using simple demographic and anthropometric information. Correlations of DXA measured PBF (DXA_PBF) with previously developed anthropometric indices and the BFI were analysed. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were conducted to compare the ability of anthropometric indices to identify obese individuals. Results: BFI showed a strong correlation with DXA_PBF (r= 0.84), which was higher than the correlations of DXA_PBF with the traditional (waist circumference, r = 0.49; waist to height ratio, r = 0.68; BMI, r = 0.36) and alternate anthropometric indices (a body shape index, r = 0.47; body roundness index, r = 0.68; body adiposity index, r= 070). Moreover, the BFI showed higher accuracy at identifying obese individuals (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.91), compared with the other anthropometric indices (AUC = 0.71-0.86). Conclusions: The BFI can accurately predict DXA_PBF in young adults, using simple demographic and anthropometric information that are commonly available in research and clinical settings. However, larger representative studies are required to build on our findings.