Older men tend to have more body fat, less lean mass and a lower density than younger adult men. Latin et al developed a series of equations for predicting body composition in older adult males using anthropometric measures.
Population: males from the age of 56 to 70
Measurements (assuming no significant differences between left and right sides):
(1) girth abdomen: taken at the level of the iliac crests and umbilicus using a Lufkin counter-balanced steel tape with readings to the nearest 0.1 cm
(2) girth of thigh: maximal girth to the nearest 0.1 cm
(3) skinfold thickness of thigh: vertical fold on the anterior aspect of the thigh midway between the hip and knee joints, using a Harpenden skinfold caliper with readings taken to the nearest 0.1 mm
(4) body weight in kilograms
body density in g/mL =
= 1.0908 – (0.0008769 * (girth abdomen in cm)) – (0.00493 * (skinfold thickness of thigh in mm)) + (0.000954 * (girth thigh in cm))
lean body weight in kilograms =
= 36.594 + (1.0325 * (body weight in kilograms)) – (0.5916 * (girth abdomen in cm))
lean body weight in kilograms =
= 36.762 + (0.967 * (body weight in kilograms)) – (0.5121 * (girth abdomen in cm)) – (0.1466 * (skinfold thickness of thigh in mm))
percentage body fat in percent =
= (-16.597) + (0.633 * (girth abdomen in cm)) – (0.3087 * (body weight in kilograms)) + (0.1252 * (skinfold thickness of thigh in mm))
