Associations between skinfold thickness, body mass index and waist-to-height ratio in elite national dance sport athletes

Abstract

Purpose: The main purpose of the study was to investigate the associations between fat mass percentage (%) assessed by
skinfold thickness with body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR).
Methods: For this observational study, we recruited 33 young dancer sport athletes who competed at international level (age
= 18.70 ± 5.00 yrs, height = 172.43 ± 7.85 cm, weight = 61.88 ± 10.60 kg, BMI = 20.70 ± 2.43 kg/m2, 48.50% women). The
sum of seven skinfold thicknesses (triceps, chest, subscapular, midaxillary, suprailia, abdominal, and thigh) were measured
using the Harpenden® skinfold caliper on the right side of the body. Body fat % was estimated with the Jackson & Pollock
equations for men and women. BMI and WHtR were calculated as weight in kg divided by height in meters squared and the
ratio between waist circumference and height in cm.
Results: In men, the average values in body fat %, BMI and WHtR were 10.17±4.28%, 21.34±2.31 kg/m2 and .43±.03. Body
fat % was positively and strongly correlated with BMI (R = .71, P= .002) and WHtR (R = .76, P< .001). In women, the average
values in body fat %, BMI and WHtR were 12.94±3.92%, 20.02±2.45 kg/m2 and .43±.04. In comparison to men, body fat
% exhibited somewhat stronger correlations with BMI (R = .83, P< .001) in women, yet the correlation with WHtR yielded
lower scores (R = .69, P= .003). In the total sample, body fat % remained positively and moderately correlated with BMI (R =
.60, P< .001) and WHtR (R = .68, P< .001).
Conclusions: This study shows that both BMI and WHtR are valid measures to estimate body fat % in elite dance sport
athletes.