Researchers at Universidad Andrés Bello and international partners employ supervised machine learning, notably a tuned random forest classifier, trained on anthropometric indices derived via multifrequency bioelectrical impedance. The model achieves 84% accuracy and 0.947 AUC-ROC in classifying normal, high, and very high fat levels, with SHAP highlighting fat mass and fat-free mass indices as key features.
Key points
- Random forest on six BIA-derived indices (BMI, FMI, FFMI, SMI, MMI, TBW) achieved 84.2% accuracy and 0.947 AUC-ROC in obesity level classification.
- SHAP and recursive feature elimination identify FMI, FFMI, and BMI as the top predictive features driving model decisions.
- Ensemble tree-based models (random forest, gradient boosting) outperform SVM, logistic regression, k-NN, and decision tree in multiclass fat-level classification.
Why it matters: Combining interpretable AI with bioimpedance-derived body composition metrics enhances obesity detection, supports personalized screening, and informs targeted public health strategies.
Q&A
- What is bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)?
- How does SHAP interpret machine learning models?
- Why is fat mass index (FMI) a key predictor?
- Why choose random forest over SVM or logistic regression?