Preliminary evaluation of a new pediatric air displacement plethysmograph for body composition assessment in infants

A preliminary evaluation of a new air displacement plethysmography (ADP) system for body composition assessment in infants was performed on 17 subjects on 2 consecutive days. Mean (+/-SD) percent body fat (%BF) obtained from test I on day 1, and tests I and 2 on day 2 was 23.21 +/- 7.63, 22.94 +/- 7.50, and 22.55 +/- 7.61, respectively. Mean differences in %BF of within- (-0.39 +/- 0.81) and between-day tests (-0.27 +/- 0.97) did not significantly differ from zero. %BF 95% limits of agreements were very close (-2.0-1.2, and -2.2-1.7 for within- and between-day tests, respectively). %BF SDs (0.52 and 0.60 %BF for within- and between-day reliability, respectively) were not a function of the subject's behavioral state, body weight, or %BE Mean %BF obtained from the 3 tests (22.90 +/- 7.56) was comparable with expected %BF values calculated using data from multi-Compartment studies (25.84 +/- 8.39 and 21.93 +/- 4.46).