Measured versus predicted thoracic gas volume in college students

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate if there is a difference between measured and predicted thoracic gas volume using the Bod Pod® in college students.
Material and Method: sixty healthy college students (27 females and 33 males) between the ages of 18 and 25 ([mean + SD] 21.4 + 1.2 years) performed body composition testing using the Bod Pod. Thoracic gas volume (TGV) was measured (MTGV) during the testing. Upon completion of the test the predicted (PTGV) TGV was determined from the software. Measured variables included percent body fat (MTGV and PTGV), body volume (MTGV and PTGV), and TGV.
Results: Results showed no significant difference in MTGV and PTGV (p = 0.295), body volume (BV) (p = 0.248), and percent body fat (% BF) (p = 0.316). The 95% CI established ranges of 3.33 L to 3.82 L, 20.2% to 25.3%, and 65.6 L to 71.3 L for the measured TGV, %BF, and BV, respectively. A Bland-Altman plot was used to reveal any variability about the mean for individual participants MTGV and PTGV and the averages of each.
Conclusion: Based upon these results, PTGV can be used instead of MTGV when measuring body composition using the Bod Pod®.

Key words:

body composition, fat mass, fat-free mass, air-displacement plethysmography, thoracic gas volume, Bod Pod®

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