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Body fat measurement in adolescent girls with type 1 diabetes: a comparison of skinfold equations against dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Repository DOI


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Authors

Särnblad, S 
Magnuson, A 
Ekelund, U 
Åman, J 

Abstract

AIM: Skinfold measurement is an inexpensive and widely used technique for assessing the percentage of body fat (%BF). This study assessed the accuracy of prediction equations for %BF based on skinfold measurements compared to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in girls with type 1 diabetes and healthy age-matched controls. METHODS: We included 49 healthy girls and 44 girls with diabetes aged 12-19 years old, comparing the predicted %BF based on skinfold measurements and the %BF values obtained by a Lunar DPX-L scanner. The agreement between the methods was assessed using an Bland-Altman plot. RESULTS: The skinfold measurements were significantly higher in girls with diabetes (p = 0.003) despite a nonsignificant difference in total %BF (p = 0.1). A significant association between bias and %BF was found for all tested equations in the Bland-Altman plots. Regression analysis showed that the association between skinfold measurements and %BF measured by DXA differed significantly (p = 0.039) between the girls with diabetes and the healthy controls. CONCLUSION: The accuracy of skinfold thickness equations for assessment of %BF in adolescent girls with diabetes is poor in comparison with DXA measurements as criterion. Our findings highlight the need for the development of new prediction equations for girls with type 1 diabetes.

Description

Keywords

Adolescents, Body composition, Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, Skinfold measurements, Type 1 diabetes, Absorptiometry, Photon, Adiposity, Adolescent, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1, Female, Humans, Male, Skinfold Thickness

Journal Title

Acta Paediatr

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0803-5253
1651-2227

Volume Title

105

Publisher

Wiley
Sponsorship
Medical Research Council (MC_UU_12015/3)
This study received financial support from the Research Committee of Örebro County Council and the Swedish Child Diabetes Foundation (Barndiabetes fonden).