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In a recent study addressing a knowledge gap in the current literature, researchers investigated the impact of breakfast on bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) measurements, a common tool for evaluating body composition. While conventional guidelines on BIA have resulted in the common belief that fasting is required, actual proof for this practice is lacking, and its feasibility, especially for individuals with malnutrition or sarcopenia, is questionable.
Researchers Julia Korzilius, Geert Wanten, Heidi Zweers, and others conducted an explorative prospective study to assess whether fasting leads to clinically relevant differences in fat-free mass (FFM) estimation when performing BIA measurements. The research group from the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology – Dietetics published the results in Nutrition Journal on October 31, 2023.
The authors found that for 90% of the participants, having breakfast did not have a clinically relevant impact on estimated FFM. These findings challenge the necessity of fasting before BIA measurements, suggesting that for most individuals, the impact of eating on BIA measurements remains within acceptable limits when a standardized breakfast is consumed. The study implies that adhering strictly to the fasting state may not be essential, particularly when considering the challenges it poses for certain patient groups. As the research community grapples with optimizing assessment protocols, these results prompt a reconsideration of the current guidelines surrounding the BIA measurements, offering a more practical approach without compromising clinical validity.
Read the article here
Having breakfast has no clinically relevant effect on bioelectrical impedance measurements in healthy adults | Nutrition Journal | Full Text (biomedcentral.com)
Korzilius JW, Oppenheimer SE, de Roos NM, Wanten GJA, Zweers H. Having breakfast has no clinically relevant effect on bioelectrical impedance measurements in healthy adults. Nutr J. 2023 Oct 31;22(1):55. doi: 10.1186/s12937-023-00882-5. PMID: 37904176; PMCID: PMC10617110.
