Are Bioelectrical Impedance and Skinfolds Considered Valid Measures for Tracking Body Composition Following Resistance Training when DEXA is the Criterion Measure?

The present study was designed to determine if BIA and skinfolds could track changes in body composition like DEXA. Fifty male volunteers participated in a 12-week high-intensity resistance-training program. Body composition was assessed using DEXA, skinfolds (SF), and BIA. Results indicate when DEXA was used as the criterion measure; BIA and SF may not be appropriate assessment techniques. BIA and SF significantly overestimated percent fat and fat-weight pre- and post-treatment (p\u3c0.05). Although SF and BIA exhibited acceptable r-values, significant differences were observed between DEXA and BIA and SF (p \u3c 0.0001). These results indicate that DEXA’s ability to track changes in body composition may be more appropriate compared to BIA and SF during and following a resistance-training program. Future studies using hydrostatic weighing are needed to determine if differences observed are the results of DEXA’s accuracy in tracking fat free-weight or the inability of BIA and skinfolds to track changes