Date of Award
5-26-2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Exercise Science
Department
Kinesiology
First Advisor
Brenda Davies
Second Advisor
Joseph Ostrem
Abstract
The accurate assessment of body composition can be an important aspect for individuals seeking to maintain their health and optimize performance. The BodyMetrixTM Ultrasound (BMU) is becoming increasingly popular due to its portability, however conflicting research results regarding the accuracy are present, specifically in the female population. The purpose of this study aimed to compare the three-site and seven-site BMU in active, college-aged females to air plethysmography (BOD POD). Fourteen female participants were included in the study. The average participant was 20.29±1.54 years old, 165.46±5.51 cm tall, and 63.76±8.06 kg. Participants had all three body composition tests conducted on the same day within a span of 30 minutes to eliminate any weight fluctuations. No significant difference was found between BOD POD, three- site, and seven-site BMU protocols (p=.864). The average difference between BOD POD and seven-site BMU was just under 1%, while the average of BOD POD and three-site BMU had a 0.32% difference. It was also found that the three-site test yielded a higher body fat percentage (BF%) average than the seven-site, though not statistically significant as reflected by the insignificant ANOVA results. Further research is warranted to explore the accuracy/reproducibility of the ultrasound body composition assessment in more diverse populations including body type, sex and race.