BIOELECTRICAL-IMPEDANCE ANALYSIS FOR THE ESTIMATION OF BODY-COMPOSITION IN RATS

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was used to assess body composi tion in rats fed on either standard laboratory diet or on a high-fat d iet designed to induce obesity. Bioelectrical impedance analysis predi ctions of total body water and thus fat-free mass (FFM) for the group mean values were generally within 5% of the measured values by tritiat ed water ((H2O)-H-3) dilution. The limits of agreement for the procedu re were, however, large, approximately +/-25%, limiting the applicabil ity of the technique for measurement of body composition in individual animals.