The aim of this study was to compare the performance of a new bioelectrical impedance (BIA) device, the Tanita AB-140, as a measuring tool of abdominal fatness, against the reference method, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as well as manual measurements of waist circumference. The study cohort included 120 participants, aged between 18 and 79 years, who were stratified by gender and body mass index (BMI: <25, 25-29, and 30-35 kg/m2). Results showed that the AB-140 provided a very precise measure of waist circumference, trunk fat, and intra-abdominal (visceral) fat. When compared with MRI measurements, the trunk fat % and intra-abdominal fat measured by AB-140 showed better correlations with total abdominal adipose tissue than intra-abdominal adipose tissue. AB-140 waist circumference showed good correlation with manual waist circumference measurements. Moreover, intra-abdominal fat, trunk fat % and waist circumference measured by AB-140 showed comparable correlations to the manual waist circumference measurements with MRI total abdominal adipose tissue area. Thus, these results suggest that AB-140 is a simple and precise technique to measure total abdominal fat and waist circumference in healthy adults, but not intra-abdominal adipose tissue.
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