Body composition of Indonesian adults assessed by skinfold thickness and bioelectrical impedance measurements and by a body mass index equation.

Body composition was assessed in Indonesian male (n=29) and female (n=17) students and rural women (n=35) using skinfold thickness measurements, bioelectrical impedance measurements (BIA) with two different equations, and a body mass index equation. Correlation between different methods was significant (P<0.01). In rural women and female students fat mass by skinfold measurements was respectively 2.5± 2.9 kg (P<0.01) and 2.2± 2.3 kg (P<0.01) lower than by BIA. In male students the difference between skinfold and BIA measurements was 0.8± 2.6 kg. Disagreement between methods increased with larger fat mass. In some individuals differences between assessed values were substantial. It is concluded that, especially under field conditions, results obtained by different methods are not interchangeable.