Body Composition Assessment: A Comparison of the DXA, InBody 270, and Omron

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to compare three body composition methods in a cohort of exercise-trained men and women: dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), a multifrequency bioelectrical impedance (MF-BIA) device (InBody® 270) and the Omron handheld BIA.Methods: Subjects (n=47; 22 male, 25 female) came to the laboratory for body composition assessment (i.e., percent body fat, fat-free mass and fat mass).Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the InBody 270 and DXA for any measure of body composition. Nor were there any significant differences between the InBody 270 and Omron. However, the Omron under- predicted percent body fat and fat mass in comparison to the DXA.Conclusions: In general, the Omron underestimates percent body fat and fat mass versus the DXA. However, the mean data for body composition assessment were quite similar between the InBody 270 and DXA. It should be noted that the DXA and InBody 270 are acceptable for body composition analysis.