The accuracy of commercially available upper and lower body bioelectrical impedance analyzers in men and women

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if upper body (UB) and lower body (LB) bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) devices yield similar estimates of BF% as whole body (WB) BIA. Approach: Ninety-four men and women had their body composition evaluated using a Baseline 12-1190 Body Fat Scale (Fabrication Enterprises Inc.) as the LB BIA device, an Omron HBF-306C Handheld Body Fat Loss Monitor (Omron Healthcare, Inc.) as the UB BIA device, and a Seca Medical Body Composition Analyzer 514 (Seca North America) as the WB BIA device as well as via air displacement plethysmography (ADP; BodPod; Life Measurement Inc.). Main results: in women, the BF% was greater for WB BIA compared to UB BIA and LB BIA (28.9 5.0 versus 23.8 4.4 versus 20.4 5.9%; p < 0.001) with no differences between the WB BIA and ADP BF% (28.9 5.0 versus 28.3 7.5%; p = 0.982). In men, BF% was greater for WB BIA compared to UB BIA and LB BIA (19.1 6.7 versus 15.5 5.3 versus 14.9 4.0; p < 0.001) with no differences between the WB BIA and ADP BF% (19.1 6.7 versus 17.6 7.8; p = 0.394). Significance: Our findings suggest that the UB and LB BIA devices used in this study underestimate BF% compared to a WB BIA device and ADP in men and women.