Which Body Density Equations Calculate Body Fat Percentage Better in Olympic Wrestlers?—Comparison Study with Air Displacement Plethysmography

• Published in: Life (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2021-07, Vol.11 (7), p.707
• Main Authors: Devrim-Lanpir, Aslı, Badem, Ebru Arslanoğlu, Işık, Hatice, Çakar, Aslıhan Nefes, Kabak, Banu, Akınoğlu, Bihter, Kocahan, Tuğba, Hasanoğlu, Adnan, Rosemann, Thomas, Knechtle, Beat
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: anthropometry; Athletes; Bias; BOD POD; Body composition; Body density; Body fat; Body mass; Body mass index; Body size; Evaluation; fat mass; Males; Mathematical analysis; Medical equipment; Menstruation; Olympic games; Plethysmography; Predictions; Respiration; skinfolds; Urine; Wrestling
• ISSN: 2075-1729; 2075-1729
• DOI: 10.3390/life11070707

Although skinfold-derived equations seem to be practical for field application in estimating body fat percentage (BF%) and minimum body mass in Olympic wrestlers, prediction equations applied first need to be cross-validated in Olympic wrestlers to define the best prediction equation. This study aimed to evaluate the most accurate field method to predict BF% in Olympic wrestlers compared to BF% estimated by air displacement plethysmography (ADP). Sixty-one male (body mass 72.4 ± 13.5 kg; height 170.3 ± 7.0 cm; body mass index (BMI) 24.9 ± 3.5 kg.m−2; BF% 8.5 ± 4.9%) and twenty-five female wrestlers (body mass 60.3 ± 9.9 kg; height 161.3 ± 7.1 cm; BMI 23.1 ± 2.5 kg.m−2; BF% 18.7 ± 4.7%) undertook body composition assessments including ADP and nine-site skinfold measurements. Correlations, bias, limits of agreement, and standardized differences between alterations in BF% measured by ADP and other prediction equations were evaluated to validate measures, and multiple regression analyses to develop an Olympic wrestlers-specific prediction formula. The Stewart and Hannan equation for male wrestlers and the Durnin and Womersley equation for female wrestlers provided the most accurate BF% compared to the measured BF% by ADP, with the lowest bias and presented no significant differences between the measured and predicted BF%. A new prediction equation was developed using only abdominal skinfold and sex as variables, predicting 83.2% of the variance. The findings suggest the use of the new wrestler-specific prediction equation proposed in the study as a valid and accurate alternative to ADP to quantify BF% among Olympic wrestlers.