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Updated: Jun 4, 2026
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Body fat assessment in Sri Lankan adolescent girls; development of a simple field tool
Maduka de Lanerolle-Dias1, Angela de Silva, Pulani Lanerolle
1Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.
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.
