Body composition by intercomparison of underwater weighing, skinfold measurements and dual-photon absorptiometry

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Abstract
Since Stern (1901) and Behnke (1961) introduced their techniques for densitometry by submersion, many other methods have been described to estimate body composition in men, ranging from simple to very complex (Siri, 1956, 1961; Garrow, 1982). None of them meets all the desirable criteria: cost, ease of operation and accuracy. Dual-photon absorptiometry (DPA) is based on measurements of radiation transmission of two separate photon energies through a medium consisting of two different materials, bone and soft tissue. The dichromatic beam from a gadolinium- 153 source, with photon energy peaks at 44 and 100 keV, can be used for this purpose. Dual-photon absorptiometry allows measurements on hitherto inaccessible body areas (Peppier & Mazess, 1981). The present study was designed to validate DPA as an alternative technique for the assessment of the lean body mass and the percentage fat.