Evaluation of body composition: practical guidelines

The choice of body composition measurements greatly depends on the question being asked. Body composition measurement methods vary in complexity and precision, and range from simple field based methods (anthropometry, bioimpedance analysis) to more technically challenging, laboratory based methods (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, hydrostatic weighing, air plethysmography, whole-body counting for K-40, deuterium, and bromide dilutions, and magnetic resonance imaging). This article focuses on practical guidelines for the evaluation of body composition where access to specialized equipment is unavailable, with special consideration to age, sex, and race related issues.