Validity, applicability, and epistemological limits of field methods for assessing body composition in athletes: a critical methodological review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71112/y3e4dd15Keywords:
body composition, anthropometry, bioelectrical impedance, validity, epistemology, athletes, methodology, measurementAbstract
Objective: To critically analyze the validity, applicability, and epistemological limits of field methods used to assess body composition in athletes, with emphasis on anthropometry and bioelectrical impedance analysis. Method: A critical methodological review was conducted, integrating classic and recent literature on body-composition models, measurement theory, anthropometry, bioimpedance, and agreement between methods. Reviews, consensus statements, methodological studies, and applied research in athletic populations were prioritized. Development: Body composition is not a directly observable single magnitude but a construct estimated through models, equations, and assumptions. Anthropometry and bioimpedance are useful in field settings, but they are not necessarily interchangeable, particularly when they estimate different components. Conclusion: Interpretation should explicitly report the body-composition model, method, equation, measurement error, and intended use, avoiding clinical or sport decisions based on unverified equivalence between methods.
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