Body Composition Assessment: Methods, Validity, and Applications

A special issue of Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology (ISSN 2411-5142). This special issue belongs to the section "Sports Medicine and Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 77

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
INEFC-Barcelona Research Group on Sport Sciences (GRCE), National Institute of Physical Education of Catalonia (INEFC), University of Barcelona, 08038 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: body composition; nutritional education; youth sports; sports performance
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue invites original research, methodological papers, systematic reviews, and brief communications on body composition assessment across health, performance, and clinical contexts. We particularly welcome studies on the validity, reliability, and sensitivity to change of established and emerging tools, including DXA, BIA and localized/segmental/ML-BIA, ultrasound, MRI/CT, 3D optical scanning, isotope methods, and field-based approaches. Topics of interest include standardization and quality control, cross-platform calibration, measurement error and minimal detectable changes, comparisons between techniques, and multimodal integration (e.g., coupling imaging with bioimpedance or hematological/biochemical markers). We also encourage applications in athlete monitoring (e.g., female athletes, youth, weight-category and endurance sports), aging and sarcopenia, rehabilitation, cardiometabolic risk, and energy availability. Papers addressing ethical, practical, and cost-effectiveness considerations, open data, and reporting guidelines are welcome. Our aim is to advance rigorous, transparent, and actionable body composition assessment that informs practice and research.

Prof. Dr. Alfredo Irurtia
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • body composition technology
  • DXA
  • BIA
  • BIVA
  • ultrasound
  • anthropometry
  • athlete monitoring
  • health monitoring
  • aging, sarcopenia, and rehabilitation
  • multimodal integration of methods

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

25 pages, 2302 KB  
Review
Reference Tolerance Ellipses in Bioelectrical Impedance Vector Analysis Across General, Pediatric, Pathological, and Athletic Populations: A Scoping Review
by Sofia Serafini, Gabriele Mascherini, Raquel Vaquero-Cristóbal, Francisco Esparza-Ros, Francesco Campa and Pascal Izzicupo
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2025, 10(4), 415; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk10040415 - 22 Oct 2025
Abstract
Background: Bioelectrical Impedance Vector Analysis (BIVA) is a qualitative method that standardizes resistance and reactance relative to stature (R/H and Xc/H) and plots them as vectors on an R-Xc graph. This equation-free approach assesses body composition, allowing for the evaluation of hydration [...] Read more.
Background: Bioelectrical Impedance Vector Analysis (BIVA) is a qualitative method that standardizes resistance and reactance relative to stature (R/H and Xc/H) and plots them as vectors on an R-Xc graph. This equation-free approach assesses body composition, allowing for the evaluation of hydration status and cellular integrity through tolerance ellipses. This study aimed to systematically map BIVA reference ellipses across general, pediatric, pathological, and athletic populations. Methods: A scoping review was conducted according to PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Five databases were searched. Extracted data included (a) sample characteristics (sample size, age, sex, BMI, country, ethnicity), (b) population type, (c) analyzer specifications, and (d) R/H and Xc/H means, standard deviations, and correlation values. Results: A total of 53 studies published between 1994 and July 2025 were included. From these, 508 tolerance ellipses were identified: 281 for the general population (18–92 years), 133 for children/adolescents (0–18 years), 49 for athletes, and 45 for pathological groups. Studies were primarily conducted in Europe and the Americas, using 11 analyzers with variations in measurement protocols, including body side, posture, and electrode placement. Conclusions: This scoping review categorizes the existing BIVA tolerance ellipses by population type, sex, age, BMI, device used, and measurement protocol. The structured presentation is intended to guide researchers, clinicians, nutritionists, and sports professionals in selecting appropriate reference ellipses tailored to specific populations and contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Composition Assessment: Methods, Validity, and Applications)
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