Effects of Body Hair on College-Age Males on Body Composition Measurements by BOD POD

Scott Murr; Alex Hultstrom

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ajss.20210902.13

| Peer-Reviewed

Effects of Body Hair on College-Age Males on Body Composition Measurements by BOD POD

Scott Murr, Alex Hultstrom

Published in American Journal of Sports Science (Volume 9, Issue 2)

Received: 21 May 2021 Accepted: 7 June 2021 Published: 15 June 2021

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

Abstract

Body composition measurements by BOD POD account for the effects of trapped isothermal air in hair on the scalp by having the subject wear a swim cap to compress the hair on the head. However, there are no recommendations that account for the effects of trapped isothermal air in hair elsewhere on the body. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effect of body hair on body composition measurements by BOD POD. To assess the impact of body hair on body composition measurements, BOD POD measurements were performed in two conditions: wearing single layer compression shorts (CS) apparel with a swim cap (recommended by manufacturer) and wearing single layer limb length compression (LC) apparel with the same swim cap. The order of apparel was conducted in random order to avoid any potential order effect. Fifty male college-age males (age 19.96 ± 1.32 years) volunteered to participate in this study. Body density and percent body fat were calculated from BOD POD measurements of body mass and body volume. Wearing single layer limb length compression apparel to compress body hair increased body mass by an average of 0.67 lb. (±0.05). Compared to wearing only compression shorts, covering exposed body hair resulted in a reduction in body volume measures; thus, body density was calculated as higher in the LC apparel condition. The mean percentage of body fat in the LC condition (13.99 ± 6.64%) was significantly lower than the mean percentage of body fat in the CS condition (16.76 ± 6.27%, p < 0.001). The results of this investigation demonstrate that covering exposed body hair by wearing single layer limb-length compression apparel can result in significantly different measurements of percent body fat in college-age males. These findings indicate that air displacement plethysmography for males while wearing limb-length compression apparel resulted in a lower assessment of body fat by an average of 2.77 percent. Based on the findings of this investigation, body hair needs to be accounted for when percent body fat is being assessed by BOD POD.

Published in	American Journal of Sports Science (Volume 9, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.ajss.20210902.13
Page(s)	43-50
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Bod Pod, Air Displacement Plethysmography, Percent Body Fat, Isothermal Air, Hair, Compression Apparel

References

[1]	King, G. A., Fulkerson, B., Evans, M. J., & Moreau, K. L. (2006). Effect of clothing type on validity of air-displacement plethysmography. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 20 (1), 95.
[2]	Levenhagen, D. K., Borel, M. J., Welch, D. C., Piasecki, J. H., Piasecki, D. P., Chen, K. Y., & Flakoll, P. J. (1999). A comparison of air displacement plethysmography with three other techniques to determine body fat in healthy adults. Journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition, 23 (5), 293-299.
[3]	Tseh, W., Caputo, J. L., & Keefer, D. J. (2010). Validity and reliability of the BOD POD S/T tracking system. International journal of sports medicine, 31 (10), 704-708.
[4]	Shaw, G., & Kerr, A. (2018). Non-imaging Method: Air Displacement Plethysmography (BOD POD). In Best Practice Protocols for Physique Assessment in Sport. Springer, Singapore.
[5]	Dempster, P. & Aitkens, S. (1995). A new air displacement method for the determination of human body composition. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 27: 1692-1697.
[6]	McCrory, M. A., Gomez, T. D., Bernauer, E. M., & Molé, P. A. (1995). Evaluation of a new air displacement plethysmograph for measuring human body composition. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 27 (12), 1686-1691.
[7]	Vescovi, J. D., Zimmerman, S. L., Miller, W. C., Hildebrandt, L., Hammer, R. L., & Fernhall, B. (2001). Evaluation of the BOD POD for estimating percentage body fat in a heterogeneous group of adult humans. European journal of applied physiology, 85 (3-4), 326-332.
[8]	Miyatake, N., Nonaka, K., & Fujii, M. (1999). A new air displacement plethysmograph for the determination of Japanese body composition. Diabetes, obesity and metabolism, 1 (6), 347-351.
[9]	Millard-Stafford, M. L., Collins, M. A., Evans, E. M., Snow, T. K., Cureton, K. J., & Rosskopf, L. B. (2001). Use of air displacement plethysmography for estimating body fat in a four-component model. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 33 (8), 1311-1317.
[10]	Wells, J. C. K., & Fuller, N. J. (2001). Precision of measurement and body size in whole-body air-displacement plethysmography. International journal of obesity, 25 (8), 1161-1167.
[11]	Fields, D. A., Goran, M. I., & McCrory, M. A. (2002). Body-composition assessment via air-displacement plethysmography in adults and children: a review. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 75 (3), 453-467.
[12]	Bosy-Westphal, A., Mast, M., Eichhorn, C., Becker, C., Kutzner, D., Heller, M., & Müller, M. J. (2003). Validation of air-displacement plethysmography for estimation of body fat mass in healthy elderly subjects. European journal of nutrition, 42 (4), 207-216.
[13]	Ball, S. D. (2005). Interdevice variability in percent fat estimates using the BOD POD. European journal of clinical nutrition, 59 (9), 996-1001.
[14]	Fields, D. A., Higgins, P. B., & Radley, D. (2005). Air-displacement plethysmography: here to stay. Current opinion in clinical nutrition and metabolic care, 8 (6), 624-629.
[15]	Anderson, D. E. (2007). Reliability of air displacement plethysmography. The journal of strength and conditioning research, 21 (1), 169.
[16]	Collins, M. A., Millard-Stafford, M. L., Sparling, P. B., Snow, T. K., Rosskopf, L. B., Webb, S. A., & Omer, J. (1999). Evaluation of the BOD POD for assessing body fat in collegiate football players. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 31 (9), 1350-1356.
[17]	Bailey, B. W., Tucker, L. A., Peterson, T. R., & LeCheminant, J. D. (2001). Test-retest reliability of body fat percentage results using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and the BOD POD. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 33 (5), S174.
[18]	Noreen, E. E., & Lemon, P. W. (2006). Reliability of air displacement plethysmography in a large, heterogeneous sample. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 38 (8), 1505-1509.
[19]	Gillan, M. R. (2010). Inter-Device Reliability of the BOD POD for Clinical and Research Use. (Doctoral dissertation, The Ohio State University).
[20]	Shafer, K. J., Siders, W. A., Johnson, L. K., & Lukaski, H. C. (2008). Interaction of clothing and body mass index affects validity of air-displacement plethysmography in adults. Nutrition, 24 (2), 148-154.
[21]	Rettig, N. L. (2000). The effect of cotton clothing on percent fat measurements via air displacement plethysmography (BOD POD). https://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/handle/186807
[22]	Hull, H. R., & Fields, D. A. (2005). Effect of short schemes on body composition measurements using air-displacement plethysmography. Dynamic medicine, 4 (1), 8.
[23]	Vescovi, J. D., Zimmerman, S. L., Miller, W. C., & Fernhall, B. (2002). Effects of clothing on accuracy and reliability of air displacement plethysmography. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 34 (2), 282-285.
[24]	Fields, D. A., Hunter, G. R., & Goran, M. I. (2000). Validation of the BOD POD with hydrostatic weighing: Influence of body clothing. International journal of obesity, 24 (2), 200-205.
[25]	Peeters, M. W., & Claessens, A. L. (2009). Effect of deviating clothing schemes on the accuracy of body composition measurements by air-displacement plethysmography. International journal of body composition research, 7 (4).
[26]	Peeters, M. W., & Claessens, A. L. (2011). Effect of different swim caps on the assessment of body volume and percentage body fat by air displacement plethysmography. Journal of sports sciences, 29 (2), 191-196.
[27]	Higgins, P. B., Fields, D. A., Hunter, G. R., & Gower, B. A. (2001). Effect of scalp and facial hair on air displacement plethysmography estimates of percentage of body fat. Obesity research, 9 (5), 326-330.
[28]	Collins, A. L., & McCarthy, H. D. (2003). Evaluation of factors determining the precision of body composition measurements by air displacement plethysmography. European journal of clinical nutrition, 57 (6), 770.
[29]	Peeters, M. W. (2012). Subject positioning in the BOD POD only marginally affects measurement of body volume and estimation of percent body fat in young adult men. PLoS one, 7 (3), e32722.
[30]	Jackson, J., Lyons, S., Bishop, P., Richardson, M., & Neggers, Y. (2006). Effect of isothermal air on measurement of body composition by air displacement plethysmography. International journal of body composition research, 4 (4), 169.
[31]	Lohman, T. G., Roche, A. F., & Martorell, R. (1988). Anthropometric standardization reference manual. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
[32]	Duda, K., Majerczak, J., Nieckarz, Z., Heymsfield, S. B., & Zoladz, J. A. (2019). Human body composition and muscle mass. In: Zoladz, J. A., ed. Muscle and Exercise Physiology. London: Elsevier, Academic Press; 3–26.
[33]	Collins, A. L., Saunders, S., McCarthy, H. D., Williams, J. E., & Fuller, N. J. (2004). Within-and between-laboratory precision in the measurement of body volume using air displacement plethysmography and its effect on body composition assessment. International journal of obesity, 28 (1), 80.
[34]	Davis, J. A., Dorado, S., Keays, K. A., Reigel, K. A., Valencia, K. S., & Pham, P. H. (2007). Reliability and validity of the lung volume measurement made by the BOD POD body composition system. Clinical physiology and functional imaging, 27 (1), 42-46.
[35]	Ryan, A. S., & Elahi, D. (1996). Body: composition, weight, height and build. In: Birren, J. E. (ed.). Encyclopedia of Gerontology. Academic Press: San Diego, CA, pp. 193–201.
[36]	Miller, J. M. (2016). Measured versus predicted thoracic gas volume in college students. Medicina Sportiva: Journal of Romanian sports medicine society, 12 (2), 2772.
[37]	McCrory, M. A., Molé, P. A., Gomez, T. D., Dewey, K. G., & Bernauer, E. M. (1998). Body composition by air-displacement plethysmography by using predicted and measured thoracic gas volumes. Journal of applied physiology, 84 (4), 1475-1479.
[38]	Noreen, E. & Lemon, P. (2004). Reliability of air displacement plethysmography in a large sample. Medicine and science in sports and exercise. 36 (5): S70.
[39]	Fields, D. A., Higgins, P. B., & Hunter, G. R. (2004). Assessment of body composition by air-displacement plethysmography: influence of body temperature and moisture. Dynamic medicine, 3 (1), 1-7.
[40]	Haynes, S., Miller, J., & Susa, K. (2019). Effect of Capris in validity of air-displacement plethysmography in female college students. International journal of exercise science, 12 (4), 1315-1322.

Cite This Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Scott Murr, Alex Hultstrom. (2021). Effects of Body Hair on College-Age Males on Body Composition Measurements by BOD POD. American Journal of Sports Science, 9(2), 43-50. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20210902.13

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Scott Murr; Alex Hultstrom. Effects of Body Hair on College-Age Males on Body Composition Measurements by BOD POD. Am. J. Sports Sci. 2021, 9(2), 43-50. doi: 10.11648/j.ajss.20210902.13

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Scott Murr, Alex Hultstrom. Effects of Body Hair on College-Age Males on Body Composition Measurements by BOD POD. Am J Sports Sci. 2021;9(2):43-50. doi: 10.11648/j.ajss.20210902.13

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ajss.20210902.13,
  author = {Scott Murr and Alex Hultstrom},
  title = {Effects of Body Hair on College-Age Males on Body Composition Measurements by BOD POD},
  journal = {American Journal of Sports Science},
  volume = {9},
  number = {2},
  pages = {43-50},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajss.20210902.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20210902.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajss.20210902.13},
  abstract = {Body composition measurements by BOD POD account for the effects of trapped isothermal air in hair on the scalp by having the subject wear a swim cap to compress the hair on the head. However, there are no recommendations that account for the effects of trapped isothermal air in hair elsewhere on the body. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effect of body hair on body composition measurements by BOD POD. To assess the impact of body hair on body composition measurements, BOD POD measurements were performed in two conditions: wearing single layer compression shorts (CS) apparel with a swim cap (recommended by manufacturer) and wearing single layer limb length compression (LC) apparel with the same swim cap. The order of apparel was conducted in random order to avoid any potential order effect. Fifty male college-age males (age 19.96 ± 1.32 years) volunteered to participate in this study. Body density and percent body fat were calculated from BOD POD measurements of body mass and body volume. Wearing single layer limb length compression apparel to compress body hair increased body mass by an average of 0.67 lb. (±0.05). Compared to wearing only compression shorts, covering exposed body hair resulted in a reduction in body volume measures; thus, body density was calculated as higher in the LC apparel condition. The mean percentage of body fat in the LC condition (13.99 ± 6.64%) was significantly lower than the mean percentage of body fat in the CS condition (16.76 ± 6.27%, p < 0.001). The results of this investigation demonstrate that covering exposed body hair by wearing single layer limb-length compression apparel can result in significantly different measurements of percent body fat in college-age males. These findings indicate that air displacement plethysmography for males while wearing limb-length compression apparel resulted in a lower assessment of body fat by an average of 2.77 percent. Based on the findings of this investigation, body hair needs to be accounted for when percent body fat is being assessed by BOD POD.},
 year = {2021}
}

Copy | Download

TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of Body Hair on College-Age Males on Body Composition Measurements by BOD POD
AU - Scott Murr
AU - Alex Hultstrom
Y1 - 2021/06/15
PY - 2021
N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20210902.13
DO - 10.11648/j.ajss.20210902.13
T2 - American Journal of Sports Science
JF - American Journal of Sports Science
JO - American Journal of Sports Science
SP - 43
EP - 50
PB - Science Publishing Group
SN - 2330-8540
UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20210902.13
AB - Body composition measurements by BOD POD account for the effects of trapped isothermal air in hair on the scalp by having the subject wear a swim cap to compress the hair on the head. However, there are no recommendations that account for the effects of trapped isothermal air in hair elsewhere on the body. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effect of body hair on body composition measurements by BOD POD. To assess the impact of body hair on body composition measurements, BOD POD measurements were performed in two conditions: wearing single layer compression shorts (CS) apparel with a swim cap (recommended by manufacturer) and wearing single layer limb length compression (LC) apparel with the same swim cap. The order of apparel was conducted in random order to avoid any potential order effect. Fifty male college-age males (age 19.96 ± 1.32 years) volunteered to participate in this study. Body density and percent body fat were calculated from BOD POD measurements of body mass and body volume. Wearing single layer limb length compression apparel to compress body hair increased body mass by an average of 0.67 lb. (±0.05). Compared to wearing only compression shorts, covering exposed body hair resulted in a reduction in body volume measures; thus, body density was calculated as higher in the LC apparel condition. The mean percentage of body fat in the LC condition (13.99 ± 6.64%) was significantly lower than the mean percentage of body fat in the CS condition (16.76 ± 6.27%, p < 0.001). The results of this investigation demonstrate that covering exposed body hair by wearing single layer limb-length compression apparel can result in significantly different measurements of percent body fat in college-age males. These findings indicate that air displacement plethysmography for males while wearing limb-length compression apparel resulted in a lower assessment of body fat by an average of 2.77 percent. Based on the findings of this investigation, body hair needs to be accounted for when percent body fat is being assessed by BOD POD.
VL - 9
IS - 2
ER -

Copy | Download

Author Information

Scott Murr

Health Sciences Department, Furman University, Greenville, USA
Alex Hultstrom

Health Sciences Department, Furman University, Greenville, USA

Download PDF

Sections

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Scott Murr, Alex Hultstrom. (2021). Effects of Body Hair on College-Age Males on Body Composition Measurements by BOD POD. American Journal of Sports Science, 9(2), 43-50. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20210902.13

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Scott Murr; Alex Hultstrom. Effects of Body Hair on College-Age Males on Body Composition Measurements by BOD POD. Am. J. Sports Sci. 2021, 9(2), 43-50. doi: 10.11648/j.ajss.20210902.13

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Scott Murr, Alex Hultstrom. Effects of Body Hair on College-Age Males on Body Composition Measurements by BOD POD. Am J Sports Sci. 2021;9(2):43-50. doi: 10.11648/j.ajss.20210902.13

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ajss.20210902.13,
  author = {Scott Murr and Alex Hultstrom},
  title = {Effects of Body Hair on College-Age Males on Body Composition Measurements by BOD POD},
  journal = {American Journal of Sports Science},
  volume = {9},
  number = {2},
  pages = {43-50},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajss.20210902.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20210902.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajss.20210902.13},
  abstract = {Body composition measurements by BOD POD account for the effects of trapped isothermal air in hair on the scalp by having the subject wear a swim cap to compress the hair on the head. However, there are no recommendations that account for the effects of trapped isothermal air in hair elsewhere on the body. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effect of body hair on body composition measurements by BOD POD. To assess the impact of body hair on body composition measurements, BOD POD measurements were performed in two conditions: wearing single layer compression shorts (CS) apparel with a swim cap (recommended by manufacturer) and wearing single layer limb length compression (LC) apparel with the same swim cap. The order of apparel was conducted in random order to avoid any potential order effect. Fifty male college-age males (age 19.96 ± 1.32 years) volunteered to participate in this study. Body density and percent body fat were calculated from BOD POD measurements of body mass and body volume. Wearing single layer limb length compression apparel to compress body hair increased body mass by an average of 0.67 lb. (±0.05). Compared to wearing only compression shorts, covering exposed body hair resulted in a reduction in body volume measures; thus, body density was calculated as higher in the LC apparel condition. The mean percentage of body fat in the LC condition (13.99 ± 6.64%) was significantly lower than the mean percentage of body fat in the CS condition (16.76 ± 6.27%, p < 0.001). The results of this investigation demonstrate that covering exposed body hair by wearing single layer limb-length compression apparel can result in significantly different measurements of percent body fat in college-age males. These findings indicate that air displacement plethysmography for males while wearing limb-length compression apparel resulted in a lower assessment of body fat by an average of 2.77 percent. Based on the findings of this investigation, body hair needs to be accounted for when percent body fat is being assessed by BOD POD.},
 year = {2021}
}

Copy | Download