Association between infrared thermography, anthropometry parameters and rest energy expenditure in men

Abstract

It is known that an increase in the subcutaneous body fat can alter the pattern of heat release through the skin. However, the relationship with other anthropometric variables and the influence of the Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) have scarcely been addressed. To determine the relationship of skin temperature with different anthropometric variables, body weight, and the REE of healthy adult males. The participants were a total of 24 healthy males of 33.9±8.7 years-old, 85.8±9.7 kg of body mass, 172.5±6.1 cm of height, and 28.9±3.4 kg/m2 of body mass index (BMI). Anthropometric, infrared thermography, and indirect calorimetry REE assessments were performed with gas analyzer. The six skinfolds average temperature, as well as the individual skinfolds (thoracoabdominal, supraspinal, and abdominal), had negative correlations with the BMI, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio, and the sum of the six skinfolds, all with p<0.05. In addition, the temperature of the supraspinal fold had a negative correlation with the percentage of fat mass (MA%), r=0.47 (p=0.0194). MA% and BMI had negative correlations with REE, with r=-0.59 (p=0.002) and r=-0.53 (p=0.006), respectively. The six-skinfolds average temperature presented a positive correlation with the REE (r=0.44; p=0.02). Body composition changes cause a modification in the local surface thermography patterns without affecting the relationship between the average total body surface temperature with the REE; therefore, this could act as a predictive factor.