Interrater reliability of novice examiners using A-mode ultrasound and skinfolds to measure subcutaneous body fat

Examiners with minimal training and skill are often called upon to make body composition assessments using field methods. This study compared the interrater reliability of novice examiners for the skinfold (SKF) and A-mode ultrasound (US) methods of body composition assessment. Undergraduate Kinesiology majors (48 males, 32 females) with minimal training took both SKF and US measurements at three sites (males: chest, abdomen, thigh; females: triceps, suprailiac, thigh). Interrater reliability was significantly better for US compared to SKF at the thigh (ICC(US) = 0.975, ICC(SKF) = 0.912) and abdomen (ICC(US) = 0.984, ICC(SKF) = 0.693) for men and suprailiac (ICC(US) = 0.978, ICC(SKF) = 0.883) for women. Additionally, interrater reliability of the US method was superior to the SKF method for the estimate of male body fat percentage (ICC(US) = 0.990, ICC(SKF) = 0.862). The 95% CI was generally narrower for the US method than the SKF method at each site. The interrater reliability of the US method was superior to or equal to the SKF method for measuring subcutaneous body fat when novice examiners took the measurements.