Despite recent technological advances, inadequate nutrition has been clearly identified as a significant risk factor to survival of patients undergoing chronic maintenance dialysis therapy. Although body density by underwater weight and residual lung volume, total body water by isotope dilution, bone mineral content, and total body potassium measurements will provide a very accurate multicompartmental analysis of body composition, they are not applicable to routine clinical or field work. Because of availability and simplicity, in addition to anthropometry, bioelectrical impedance and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry have received the most attention from the renal community. Several studies have validated the use of total body water by BEI as a surrogate for isotope dilution methods in dialysis patients, whereas others have established an excellent correlation with the volume of distribution of urea as measured by urea kinetic volume. Bioimpedance analysis has been extensively validated in stable healthy populations for measurement of lean body mass. Results are similar to those obtained with hydrodensitometry and total body potassium. Several studies in dialysis patients have compared lean body mass measurements by BEI and DEXA. Although the number of patients studied is relatively small, there is a high degree of correlation and concordance between the two methods. Nevertheless, selective equations for specific patient populations may be required with both methodologies for individual clinical applications. Longitudinal follow-up of body composition using BEI and DEXA in dialysis patients is contingent on a stable hydration status and/or accurate estimation of extracellular volume status for appropriate corrections. Consistency of technique and standardization of BEI and DEXA equipment is essential for reproducibility of results. Equations used in calculations must be age, sex, race, body habitus, and population specific whenever possible. Multiple compartment models including BEI, DEXA and isotopic dilution provide the best current "gold standard" for body composition analysis. BEI methodology is a practical bedside tool for assessment of total body water, and provides more consistent and reproducible results than anthropometry.