ASSESSMENT OF BODY-COMPOSITION BY USING A NEW CHART METHOD

The body mass index (BMI, weight/height(2)), is commonly used as a sim ple and valid way of assessing body composition. However, the signific ance of the BMI is not clear, since body mass is composed of two main components: fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM), each with different densities. In order to graphically present body composition as a quan titative measure, a chart based on the fat-free mass index (FFMI, FFM/ height(2)) and fat mass index (FMI; FM/height(2)), as reported in a pr evious paper (Hattori, J. Anthropol. Sec. Nippon 99:141-148, 1991), wa s revised by adding information on both the percentages of body fat (% fat) and the BMI. The benefit of the new chart method is its simplicit y which comes from the application of two variables on a two dimension al chart. The chart containing the lines of %fat and the BMI can be of use in detecting multiple aspects of body composition since it provid es four pieces of information at the same time: FMI, FFMI, BMI, and %f at. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.