Cedar-Sinai researchers find simpler, more accurate method for determining whole-body fat percentage
Researchers at Cedar-Sinai have developed a new equation that can better determine whole-body fat percentage among adults.
In a study published in Scientific Reports, the team sought to find a simpler and more accurate equation for determining whole-body fat percentage as an alternative to body mass index (BMI) and other commonly used methods. The study said a common problem with current equations that estimate whole-body fat percent is their complexity.
In the study, researchers explored 365 anthropometric indexes to identify a more simple and accurate equation that could also serve as an alternative clinical tool. Out of those, researchers selected a height/waist equation—called relative fat mass (RFM)—as the best alternative.
The equation reads: 64 - (20 x height/waist circumference)) + (12 x sex). For men, the sex would be zero and for women, the sex would be 1.
“In the validation dataset, compared with BMI, RFM better predicted whole-body fat percentage, measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), among women and men,” the study said. “RFM showed better accuracy than the BMI and had fewer false negative cases of body fat-defined obesity among women and men.”
According to the study, RFM was also more consistent than BMI and had better accuracy and precision when estimating whole-body fat percentage among men and women.
“Height/waist equation, named as the relative fat mass (RFM), was the final model selected because of its simplicity (it requires only two common anthropometrics), it was superior to BMI in predicting body fat percentage among men, had similar predicting ability relative to BMI among women and had overall better performance than BMI among women and men, independently,” the study said.
Danielle covers Clinical Innovation & Technology as a senior news writer for TriMed Media. Previously, she worked as a news reporter in northeast Missouri and earned a journalism degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She's also a huge fan of the Chicago Cubs, Bears and Bulls.