Bioelectrical impedance analysis as a method of body composition estimation

A practical approach

Abstract

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is an easy non-invasive technique which can be used in both healthy and patient populations. To guarantee reliability and accuracy it is necessary to understand the basic principles of its use and to control the strict application protocol of the measurement conditions. BIA can determine total body water and fat-free mass in subjects without body fluid and electrolyte alterations. When selecting a predictive equation, issues such as validation against a reference method and adjustment for population age and gender must be taken into account. The purpose of this review is to provide a critical analysis about the use of BIA and to explain the importance of carrying out well defined application standards to ensure accuracy in body composition estimation.