Predicting Body Fat Percentage from Anthropometric Measurements in Asian Athletes.

Purpose: Researchers have predicted body fat percentage (BF%), as indicated by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), from skinfold thicknesses in North American and European athletes, but not athletes from other regions. We sought to estimate an equation to predict BF% in elite Asian athletes from their skinfold thickness and girth measurements, with DXA as a reference method.

Methods: We collected data from two samples of athletes on Singaporean national teams. With the first sample ( = 95), we developed an equation to predict BF%, and then tested the equation in the second sample ( = 21). We used backward stepwise regression and the Akaike information criteria (AIC) to determine the final equation.

Results: Triceps, subscapular, front thigh, and (natural log of) abdominal skinfold thicknesses, waist circumference, and female sex were positively associated with BF% ( < 0.05).

Conclusion: Our equation for predicting BF% from anthropometric measurements is the first one based on Asian athletes. This equation could help practitioners estimate BF% of Asian athletes if DXA is unavailable.