Accuracy of field methods in assessing body fat in collegiate baseball players

When assessing the fitness levels of athletes, body composition is usually estimated, as it may play a role in athletic performance. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the validity of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and skinfold (SKF) methods compared with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for estimating percent body fat (%BF) in Division 1 collegiate baseball players (n = 35). The results of this study indicate that the field methods investigated were not valid compared with DXA for estimating %BF. In conclusion, this study does not support the use of the TBF-350, HBF-306, HBF-500, or SKF thickness for estimating %BF in collegiate baseball players. The reliability of these BIA devices remains unknown; therefore, it is currently uncertain if they may be used to track changes over time.