Use of total-body electrical conductivity for monitoring body composition changes during weight reduction

The ability of a new total-body electrical conductivity instrument (TOBEC) to monitor changes in body composition during weight reduction was examined. Twelve moderately overweight women were confined to a metabolic unit for a period of 8 wk, 2-wk baseline and 6-wk reduction periods, during which changes in body composition were assessed by densitometry and hydrometry. Additionally, TOBEC measures were taken to predict lean body mass (LBM) changes. A total of 6.6 kg body weight was lost during the 6-wk reduction period. A decline in LBM was observed during the first 3 wk of reduction, from 47.4 to 45.7 kg, with no further LBM decline observed. Changes observed in the TOBEC phase value corresponded to the observed changes in LBM and total body water (TBW) during baseline and reduction periods. TOBEC was sensitive to small changes in LBM and TBW and may be useful for monitoring composition changes during nutritional intervention programs.