Open AccessInterrater reliability of novice examiners using A-mode ultrasound and skinfolds to measure subcutaneous body fat
Author(s) -
Dale R. Wagner,
Masaru Teramoto
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0244019
Subject(s) - inter rater reliability , medicine , anthropometry , ultrasound , anterior compartment of thigh , subcutaneous fat , reliability (semiconductor) , abdomen , thigh , physical therapy , intra rater reliability , anatomy , nuclear medicine , physical medicine and rehabilitation , psychology , radiology , adipose tissue , developmental psychology , rating scale , physics , confidence interval , power (physics) , quantum mechanics
Examiners with minimal training and skill are often called upon to make body composition assessments using field methods. This study compared the interrater reliability of novice examiners for the skinfold (SKF) and A-mode ultrasound (US) methods of body composition assessment. Undergraduate Kinesiology majors (48 males, 32 females) with minimal training took both SKF and US measurements at three sites (males: chest, abdomen, thigh; females: triceps, suprailiac, thigh). Interrater reliability was significantly better for US compared to SKF at the thigh (ICC US = 0.975, ICC SKF = 0.912) and abdomen (ICC US = 0.984, ICC SKF = 0.693) for men and suprailiac (ICC US = 0.978, ICC SKF = 0.883) for women. Additionally, interrater reliability of the US method was superior to the SKF method for the estimate of male body fat percentage (ICC US = 0.990, ICC SKF = 0.862). The 95% CI was generally narrower for the US method than the SKF method at each site. The interrater reliability of the US method was superior to or equal to the SKF method for measuring subcutaneous body fat when novice examiners took the measurements.