ULTRASONIC REFLECTIONS USED FOR MEASURING SUBCUTANEOUS FAT IN HUMANS

A technique based on the reflection of ultrasonic waves from the interface between subcutaneous fat and the deep fascia has been used to measure the thickness of subcutaneous fat-plus-skin in human subjects. The agreement between repeated measurements was good, reliability coefficients at the triceps, subscapular and abdominal sites being 0.98, 0.98 and 0.99, respectively. The results were compared with those obtained by skinfold caliper and needle puncture. The correlation coefficient between needle puncture and ultrasonic measurements at the abdominal site on a subsample of patients was 0.98. Skinfold caliper thicknesses and ultrasonic depths at the triceps and abdominal sites were compared separately for the 51 men and 49 women. Correlations obtained between these measurements at the triceps were 0.80 and 0.80 for the men and women, respectively and corresponding coefficients were 0.90 and 0.85 at the abdominal site. The median value of the compressed skinfold at the abdominal site was 66% of the uncompressed ultrasonic equivalent for both men and women and at the triceps site was 61% for the men and 64% for the women.