Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Grand Forks, North Dakota » Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center » Healthy Body Weight Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #154824
Title: LETTER TO THE EDITOR: RESPONSE TO DR. ZUNFT

Author
item SUN, SHUMEI - WRIGHT STATE UNIV
item FRIEDL, KARL - US ARMY MED RESEARCH
item LUKASKI, HENRY
item JOHNSON, CLIFFORD - CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTRO
item CHUMLEA, W - WRIGHT STATE UNIV
item KUCZMARSKI, ROBERT - NATL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
item FLEGAL, KATHERINE - CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTRO

Submitted to: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/30/2003
Publication Date: 2/1/2004
Citation: Sun, S.S., Friedl, K.E., Lukaski, H.C., Johnson, C., Chumlea, W.C., Kuczmarski, R., Flegal, K.M. 2004. Letter to Editor: Response to Dr. Zunft. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 79:336-337.

Interpretive Summary: This communication addresses concerns that application of a model to predict body fatness using bioelectrical impedance measurements in a sample of US adults may be not be appropriate for use in a sample of adults in Germany. Use of a multi component model of body composition (fat, protein, water and bone) compared a model based on fat and fat-free components (e.g., two components) probably explain the reported differences between measured and predicted body fat values in the German subjects. Moreover, we reiterate that use of a multi component, compared to a two component model yields greater values for fat-free mass and lesser values of body fatness. Inclusion of a heterogenous ethnic composition for the US sample (e.g., non Hispanic white and non Hispanic black) compared to a group of German volunteers may explain additional variance. Importantly, the impedance instrument is not described in the German validation trial. These factors contribute to the lack of agreement between the impedance prediction model derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) and its application in a sample of German adults. This information will be useful to public health practitioners who seek to use the NHANES prediction model in epidemiological surveys of body composition.

Technical Abstract: This communication addresses concerns that application of a model to predict body fatness using bioelectrical impedance measurements in a sample of US adults may be not be appropriate for use in a sample of adults in Germany. Use of a multi component model of body composition (fat, protein, water and bone) compared a model based on fat and fat-free components (e.g., two components) probably explain the reported differences between measured and predicted body fat values in the German subjects. Moreover, we reiterate that use of a multi component, compared to a two component model yields greater values for fat-free mass and lesser values of body fatness. Inclusion of a heterogenous ethnic composition for the US sample (e.g., non Hispanic white and non Hispanic black) compared to a group of German volunteers may explain additional variance. Importantly, the impedance instrument is not described in the German validation trial. These factors contribute to the lack of agreement between the impedance prediction model derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) and its application in a sample of German adults. This information will be useful to public health practitioners who seek to use the NHANES prediction model in epidemiological surveys of body composition.