Relationship Between Body Composition and Body Mass Index in Obese Women

Abstract

Objective: The aim of our work is to study the links between anthropometric parameters and body composition obtained by bioelec-tric impedancemetry in case of obese women of peri-menopausal age. Method and Materials: 154 obese women were classified according to their degree of obesity according to WHO criteria. The analysis of body composition was performed by impedancemetry. Pearson's (r) and Spearman's (r 2) correlations were calculated to check the relationships between age, weight, BMI, as well as total and segmental body fat composition. Results: 154 women of mean age 40.20 ± 13.13 years, obese, mean BMI 38.66 ± 6.56 Kg/m 2 participated in our study. Impedance reduced an average total fat mass% (TFM%) of 45.39 ± 5.67%. BMI is strongly correlated with TFM% (r = 0.73; r 2 = 0.82; p ≥ 0.05). For obesity stages 1-2, weight is correlated with BMI (r-r 2 > 0.40; p ≤ 0.001). Likewise, a strong correlation exists between weight and TFM in Kg (r 2 = 0.82; p ≥ 0.05). For a BMI ≥ 35 Kg/m 2 , weight is inversely correlated with age [r 2 ≥ (-0.36); p ≤ 0.003]. The FM of the trunk (Kg) is correlated with the weight for obesity grade 3 (r = 0.49; p = 0.0002) and whatever the stage of obesity at the BMI (r ≥ 0.32; p ≤ 0.02). Conclusion: The use of bioelectrical impedancemetry in the diagnostic management of obese people is quite useful. This tool gives us better information on the location and distribution of fatty tissue.