How to Measure Body Fat

I. Why do I have to measure it?

The measure of one’s body fat can be very important indicator of one’s health condition. Aside from being the basis on how fit one can be, it can also indicate if a person is more likely to have a high risk of having health problems in the future. One should take into account that body fat and body weight are two different areas. Moreover, a person’s weight may not be a good indicator of somebody’s health risks. This is because one’s weight is comprise of not only one’s fat composition but also one’s organs, bones, blood and other body components.

In addition, a person who has too much fat inside the body may be at high risk of developing different types of health conditions that may be a threat to one’s condition. Some of these serious health conditions may include heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, stroke, joint problems, skin problems, high blood pressure, infertility, depression, osteoarthritis, sleep apnoea and some problems in the metabolism.

With this, one should take the first step in measuring body fats to know if having that much is still healthy for the body.

II. What one can do?

There are many ways to measure body fat. One of the simple methods is the skinfold test. IN this type of method, one should use skin callipers. These skin callipers will then be used to measure the thickness of the folds of skin at different areas in the body so as to get an estimate of the body’s fat percentage. The areas to be tested are the supra- iliac, triceps, biceps, sub- scapular, thigh, abdomen, chest and mid auxiliary. This simple method may depend on the type of skin calliper used. As for application, one can use 3 to 4 of these areas to get a good measurement. Even though skin callipers can be bought cheaply, one still needs to ask for assistance so as to measure it correctly.

Another method is the bioelectrical impedance analysis or BIA. This can be done by taking a harmless amount of electricity to pass through the body. This BIA will then measure the body’s density through its built in formula and calculations. Although this method can be simple, one’s hydration may affect the accuracy of this test for this depends on the water content of the body for the electric current to flow. Also, gender is a factor with this test for men and women store fat differently, thus producing different results.

III. What Now?

Seek for professional help for ways how to measure one’s body fat. Some methods may be readily available but there are still those methods that are only available in laboratories and hospitals.