A method comparison study to validate a novel parameter of obesity, the body adiposity index, in Chinese subjects.

Objective: A recently developed parameter, the body adiposity index (BAI)-a composite index based on hip circumference and height-estimates the percentage (%) body adiposity indirectly. The BAI was compared with dual energy X-ray absorptiometer (DEXA)-derived % adiposity to validate the BAI in the local Chinese population.

Design And Methods: 105 Chinese were recruited and % adiposity estimated by BAI was compared with that derived from DEXA using the Bland Altman plot. A correlation study comparing the BAI with body mass index (BMI) was also done.

Results: BAI underestimated DEXA-derived % adiposity by a mean of 5.77% with 95% limits of agreement of ±8.4%. When stratified by gender, BMI correlated with DEXA-derived % adiposity better than BAI (r = 0.81 vs. 0.74 for males, P = 0.088, and r = 0.87 vs. 0.82 for females, P = 0.087). Hip circumference and waist circumference also correlated better with the BMI than BAI (r = 0.94 vs. 0.71 for hip circumference, P < 0.001, and r = 0.93 vs. 0.50 for waist circumference, P < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions: The BAI underestimates DEXA-derived % adiposity in a Chinese population in Singapore and is unlikely to be a better overall index of adiposity than the established BMI.