Assessment of Body Composition in Athletes: A Narrative Review of Available Methods with Special Reference to Quantitative and Qualitative Bioimpedance Analysis
Open accessAbstract
Body composition is acknowledged as a determinant of athletic health and performance. Its assessment is crucial in evaluating the efficiency of a diet or aspects related to the nutritional status of the athlete. Despite the methods traditionally used to assess body composition, bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) and bioelectric impedance vector analysis (BIVA) have recently gained attention in sports, as well as in a research context. Only until recently have specific regression equations and reference tolerance ellipses for athletes become available, while specific recommendations for measurement procedures still remain scarce. Therefore, the present narrative review summarizes the current literature regarding body composition analysis, with a special focus on BIA and BIVA. The use of specific technologies and sampling frequencies is described, and recommendations for the assessment of body composition in athletes are provided. Additionally, the estimation of body composition parameters (i.e., quantitative analysis) and the interpretation of the raw bioelectrical data (i.e., qualitative analysis) are examined, highlighting the innovations now available in athletes. Lastly, it should be noted that, up until 2020, the use of BIA and BIVA in athletes failed to provide accurate results due to unspecific equations and references; however, new perspectives are now unfolding for researchers and practitioners. In light of this, BIA and especially BIVA can be utilized to monitor the nutritional status and the seasonal changes in body composition in athletes, as well as provide accurate within- and between-athlete comparisons.
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Various multi-component models have been developed over time to overcome the limitations of the two-component model and enhance the accuracy of body composition analysis.
“To overcome the limitations of the two-component model and enhance the accuracy of body composition analysis, various multi-component models have been developed over time [2].”
From High-standard predictive equations for estimating body composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis: a systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as [2]
The Introduction (page not specified) describes several body-composition models, including three- and four-compartment models, and calls the four-compartment formula the most accurate approach for assessing fat mass. It does not say these models were developed over time to overcome limitations of the two-component model, or establish improved accuracy for body-composition analysis generally. (LLM, conf=0.85)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe procedures for BIA were updated in 2004 and further in 2020 for athletes.
“the procedures for BIA were updated in 2004 [15] and further in 2020 for athletes [2].”
From High-standard predictive equations for estimating body composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis: a systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as [2]
Section 5, “BIA Evaluation Procedures” (page unavailable), provides BIA measurement recommendations for athletes and says earlier recommendations for general and pediatric populations had not been implemented for athletes. It does not say the athlete-specific procedures were updated in 2020; this source was published in 2021. The 2004 clause is attached to a different citation and is not judged here. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe determination of body composition is a common practice for evaluating health and nutritional status, as well as monitoring the effects of training or diet strategies.
“The determination of body composition is a common practice for evaluating health and nutritional status, as well as monitoring the effects of training or diet strategies [1, 2].”
From High-standard predictive equations for estimating body composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis: a systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as [2]
Phase angle has been associated with many nutritional markers and can provide viable insight to nutritional status and the effects of the supplementation strategies used by clinicians and dietitians.
“Phase angle has been associated with many nutritional markers and can provide viable insight to nutritional status and the effects of the supplementation strategies used by clinicians and dietitians [52].”
From The Utility of Body Composition Assessment in Nutrition and Clinical Practice: An Overview of Current Methodology (2021) · cites this paper as [52]
Two studies on athletes recruited male Brazilian army cadets considered as very active individuals.
“Four studies involved Portuguese male and female participants from different sport disciplines [39, 69, 84, 87], while two studies recruited male Brazilian army cadets [85] considered as very active individuals [103] and adolescents from various sport disciplines [104].”
From High-standard predictive equations for estimating body composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis: a systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as [103]
The Introduction discusses athletes’ training demands, but it does not discuss Brazilian army cadets. Searches of the review for cadets, military personnel, and “very active individuals” found no passage classifying those cadets as very active or describing studies that recruited them. (LLM, conf=0.75)
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References 137 · Cited by 315
- Authors
- Campa, F., Toselli, S., Mazzilli, M., Gobbo, L. A., & Coratella, G.
- Affiliations
- University of Bologna (IT)
- Università degli Studi eCampus (IT)
- Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp) (BR)
- University of Milan (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Campa, Francesco
- Venue
- Nutrients
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2021-05-12
- Volume
- 13
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1620
- ISSN
- 2072-6643 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC8150618
- OpenAlex
- W3162987602
- Cited by
- 315
- References
- 137
- Citations by year
- 2026: 48 · 2025: 79 · 2024: 49 · 2023: 51 · 2022: 57 · 2021: 31
- FWCI
- 6.27
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Nutrients (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Archivio istituzionale della ricerca (Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca (Universita Degli Studi Di Milano) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Padua Research Archive (University of Padova) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Body Composition Measurement Techniques
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Electrical and Bioimpedance Tomography
- Keywords
- body composition, athletes, bioelectrical impedance analysis, bioelectrical impedance vector analysis, regression equations, tolerance ellipses, nutritional status, measurement methods, sampling frequency
- MeSH terms
- Body Composition, Humans, Sports Medicine, Electric Impedance, Athletes
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