Development and Validation of Two Equations Based on Anthropometry, Estimating Body Fat for the Greek Adult Population

Objective: To validate anthropometric equations in the current literature predicting body fat percentage (%BF) in the Greek population, to develop and validate two anthropometric equations estimating %BF, and to compare them with the retrieved equations. Methods: Anthropometric data from 642 Greek adults were incorporated. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used as reference method. The comparison with other equations was made using Bland-Altman analysis, intraclass correlation coefficient, and Lin's concordance correlation coefficient. Results: Nine of the thirty-one retrieved equations had no statistically significant bias. However, all of them had wide limits of agreement ( +/-8.3 to +/-16% BF). The equations accrued were: BF%=0.615-10.948 x sex+0.321 x waist circumference +0.502 x hips circumference-0.39 x forearm circumference- 19.768 x height (m) and BF% = -27.787-5.515 x sex-8.419 x height+0.145 x waist circumference + 0.270 x hips circumference + 7.509 x log of thigh skinfold + 20.090 x log of sum of skinfolds ( bicep+tricep+suprailiac+subscapular) -0.445 x forearm circumference. Bland-Altman's reliability analysis showed no significant bias of -0.058 and -0.148%BF and limits of agreement +/-8.100 and +/-6.056%BF; the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.955 and 0.976; and Lin's concordance correlation coefficient was 0.914 and 0.951, respectively. Conclusions: Literature equations performed moderately on this study's population. Therefore, two equations were designed and validated. The first one was simple and easily applicable, with measures obtained from a measuring tape, and the second one more complicated yet more accurate and reliable. Both were found to be reliable for the assessment of body composition in the Greek population.