PREDICTING FAT MASS AND FAT FREE MASS IN INDIAN ARMY SOLDIERS BASED ON BODY CIRCUMFERENCES

The aim of the present paper was to develop a predictive formula for Fat Mass (FM) and Fat Free Mass (FFM) of male Indian Armed Forces based on easily measurable human body circumferences. Body composition assessment for BMI, BF%, FM and FFM mass were taken using the Tanita TBF-310 Body Composition Analyzer. Models for predicting percentage body fat were developed by using multiple regression analysis with age, wrist circumference, waist circumference, chest circumference, hip circumference, thigh circumference and calf circumference evaluated as potential independent variables. Variables where r >0.4, were selected to form the equation. The prediction equations were evaluated by testing the significance using the coefficient of determination (adjusted R2) and standard error of estimate (SEE). Prediction using equations to estimate FM and FFM were reliable, with an adjusted R2 value of above 86% and 62% respectively. Waist circumference and abdomen circumference had the strongest correlation with FMBIA, weak correlation between age and FFMBIA was found and moderate to good correlation was found between FFMBIA and the other anthropometric variables. We developed two prediction equations for FM and FFM using body circumferences in adult males.
FMPred (kg) = - 48.55 + 0.142 (age) + 0.123 (waist) + 0.164 (hip) + 0.091(thigh) + 0.165 (chest exh) + 0.129 (abdomen)

FFMPred (kg) = - 20.56 + 0.361 (hip) + 0.591(calf) + 0.305 (chest inh) - 0.169 (waist) + 0.110 (thigh)