Relationship Between Surface Temperature, Body Composition and Anthropometric Indicators of Obesity and Overweight

Infrared thermography (IT) makes it possible to assess body temperature, measure changes in body heat dissipation on the surface, and relate them to body composition characteristics and anthropometric indices. The objective of this study was to increase the number of records of body areas evaluated with IT and establish the relationships of these temperatures (32 body areas) with body composition variables and anthropometric indices, such as body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio, waist-height ratio, in adult men divided according to their weight status. A total of 60 healthy adult men participated, divided into 2 groups: group 1 (n=30), with a body mass index (BMI) <= 24.9, age 23.2 +/- 3.9 years, body mass 66.5 +/- 6.5 kg, and height 170.5 +/- 7.4 cm; and, group 2 (n = 30), with BMI > 24.9, age 29.4 +/- 9.9 years, body mass 84.5 +/- 11.9 kg, and height 172.0 +/- 7.18 cm. Anthropometric and IT assessments were performed. Subjects with BMI <= 24.9 kg/ m2 presented higher values of surface temperature in all areas studied, unlike subjects with BMI levels > 24.9 kg/m2, where body heat dissipation was lower. There is a close relationship between skin surface temperature and BMI, where subjects with a normal BMI showed higher heat dissipation and surface temperature values, in all evaluated areas, unlike subjects with a BMI that was above the normal limit.