The accuracy of commercially available upper and lower body bioelectrical impedance analyzers in men and women

The purpose of this study was to determine if upper body (UB) and lower body (LB) bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) devices yield similar estimates of BF% as whole body (WB) BIA.

Ninety-four men and women had their body composition evaluated using a Baseline 12-1190 Body Fat Scale (Fabrication Enterprises Inc.) as the LB BIA device, an Omron HBF-306C Handheld Body Fat Loss Monitor (Omron Healthcare, Inc.) as the UB BIA device, and a Seca Medical Body Composition Analyzer 514 (Seca North America) as the WB BIA device as well as via air displacement plethysmography (ADP; BodPod; Life Measurement Inc.).

in women, the BF% was greater for WB BIA compared to UB BIA and LB BIA (28.9 ± 5.0 versus 23.8 ± 4.4 versus 20.4 ± 5.9%; p < 0.001) with no differences between the WB BIA and ADP BF% (28.9 ± 5.0 versus 28.3 ± 7.5%; p = 0.982). In men, BF% was greater for WB BIA compared to UB BIA and LB BIA (19.1 ± 6.7 versus 15.5 ± 5.3 versus 14.9 ± 4.0; p < 0.001) with no differences between the WB BIA and ADP BF% (19.1 ± 6.7 versus 17.6 ± 7.8; p = 0.394).

Our findings suggest that the UB and LB BIA devices used in this study underestimate BF% compared to a WB BIA device and ADP in men and women.