correlation of clinically applied indices and circumferences for body

VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL
FACULTY OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION
AND PHYSIOTHERAPY
Examination commission:
Prof. dr. S. Provyn
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (chairman)
Prof. dr. J. De Mey
Vrije Universiteit Brussel – UZ Brussel
Prof. dr. P. Clarys
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Prof. dr. C. Balestra
Vrije Universiteit Brussel – Haute École Paul
Henri Spaak
Prof. dr. J. Wallace
University of Aberystwyth – Wales (UK)
Prof. dr. D. Davenne
Université Basse Normandie – Caen (FR)
dr. M. Schmitt
Stichting Opleiding Manuele Therapie –
Amersfoort (NL)
We cordially invite you to the public defence
of the doctoral dissertation in fulfilment of
the requirements for the degree of:
DOCTOR IN REHABILITATION SCIENCES
AND PHYSIOTHERAPY
Of mister:
JONATHAN TRESIGNIE
which will take place on Friday,
May 16 at 18:30
in Auditorium Brouwer located
on the Campus of Jette
CORRELATION OF CLINICALLY APPLIED INDICES AND
CIRCUMFERENCES FOR BODY COMPOSITION ASSESSMENT
Promotors: Prof. dr. A. Scafoglieri Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Prof. dr. E. Cattrysse
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Prof. em. dr. J.P. Clarys Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Prof. dr. E. Kerkchofs
Dean of the Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy
Please confirm your presence before May 12: [email protected]
How to reach the Vrije Universiteit Brussel http://www.vub.ac.be/infoover/campussen/index.html
Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Campus Jette
Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussel
Presentation of the dissertation
The need to accurately measure body composition constituents remains apparent and
becomes increasingly visible in various domain-related constitutional applications.
As a result, both classical and new applications are being (re)explored in determining
body composition distribution. Indices and circumferences have, among other type of
clinical measures, multiple applications in a wide range of biological domains. Since the
specificity and adequacy of these indicators is based on anthropological fundaments,
anatomical logic and physiological functioning, the general objective of this work was
to correlate body composition indices and circumferences with segmental and whole
body constituents in order to derive those that can be used as reliable surrogates for
body composition.
In a first study, the direct relationship of frequently used, unexplored and newly
designed indices with adipose tissue masses and with trunk adipose tissue distribution
was explored in an in-vitro population (28 white cadavers; 17 females aged 79.9 ± 7.1
years and 11 males aged 75.9 ± 6.3 years). The results of this study suggest that the
newly designed indices (i.e. weight to height-waist circumference-depth index [W/
(HxWCxT)] in males and weight to height-waist circumference index [W/(HxWC)] in
females) are better correlates (r≥0.80) of whole body adipose tissue masses and trunk
internal adipose tissue distribution than the other indices.
In order to validate previous in-vitro findings and in order to provide a better
understanding and interpretation in their generalizability, a fourth study determined
the value of indices and circumferences as measures of lean mass distribution and
fat mass patterning in an in-vivo population (54 females aged 38.4 ± 8.5 years and
77 males 40.7 ± 13.9 years). As for the newly designed indices, correlations under
the arbitrary defined level of biological and clinical relevance (r<0.80) are found,
rejecting their potential for the assessment of lean and fat mass distribution. As for
the circumferences, the results suggest that the circumferences can represent both
lean and fat mass, but gender determined. Effectively, in women upper and lower
limb circumferences relate to segmental fat mass, while in men to lean mass. Waist
circumference is a good measure for fat mass of the trunk, in men only.
Although the results of the in-vitro and in-vivo study are difficult to compare due
to methodological differences, two major findings are suggested. First, no index can
be proposed as reliable surrogate for body composition. Secondly, only upper arm
circumference may be a reliable surrogate for segmental adipose tissue (fat) in women.
Curriculum Vitae
The second study related body circumferences to the cross-sectional tissue areas in
5 white cadavers (aged 79.2 ± 11.4 years). The results show that a majority of clinically
applied circumferences do not measure what they are assumed to measure. Of all
studied circumferences, only two circumferences show significant correlations (r≥0.90)
with their dominating tissue. Waist circumference and upper arm circumference are
representative for the adipose tissue component.
In order to provide a complete constitutional reliability report of each girth available,
it was verified whether circumferences also relate to segmental and whole body tissue
masses. Twenty-three white cadavers (14 females aged 79.2 ± 7.3 years and 9 males
aged 74.8 ± 5.7 years) were used in a third study. The results of this study provides a
scientific basis for the use of a number of circumferences (i.e. head, neck, chest, hip,
upper thigh, mid-thigh and calf), but creates doubt about a number of other standard
perimeters (i.e. upper arm, elbow, forearm, wrist, waist, knee and ankle).
Jonathan Tresignie started his PhD in 2009 working on quality control of body
composition methodology under joint supervision of Prof. dr. Aldo Scafoglieri,
Prof. dr. Erik Cattrysse and Prof. em. dr. Jan Pieter Clarys.
He has published 23 peer-review articles, 4 as first author. He has co-written
5 book chapters and 3 proceedings and presented his work at various national and
international congresses.

Download Report