How do you measure body composition?

Answer 1

You can measure BMI using a formula which I can't recall with weight and height but that's not really body fat. Special sets of scales can use density to determine body fat percentage. Otherwise you can measure the thickness of skin folds with calipers and convert it to body fat percentage. Probably easiest to buy a set of scales that can do it if you're that worried about it. If you do want to know the BMI equation it is: your height in metres x your height in metres divided by weight in kilograms = BMI exa. 1.68metres x 1.68 metres =2.8224 63 kgs / 2.8224 = 22.32 If your weight is between 20 and 25 you are in a healthy weight range.

Answer 2

You can measure body fat by taking a ruler and wrap it around your waist, if you were first 20pound wide and then your 69 pound wide the ruler can measure it all together. Check your weight on a scale at least once or twice a month.

Hope this helps!!

Good luck!

Answer 3

There's no way for you, your-self measure it. Doctors and other professions can find it out by using a scale, a hand-held device, or using these tongs to pinch skin all around your body.

Hand Held Device- the hand-held device is not accurate at all, so if you do that in high school, take off about 5-7% and that's what you have. I've

Tongs- this as far as i know is some what accurate, but since it is measured by a person, who cannot grab all the skin and tissue, it is not too accurate.

Scale- This is Very Accurate, it sends a current through your body from the feet, up, and back down. It calculates all sorts of things and will give you the % instantly.

I've used the hand-help and it said i had 11% body fat.(I'm skinny, but have muscle, so i knew it was off.) The Scale was perfectly on it and said i have 5% body fat.

Hoped I helped.

Answer 4

If you mean't, 'to measure your body for size, or clothing?',,then the correct way is to measure for tailored clothing wearing under garnments you intend to wear with finished garnment. Or for size, measure naked, taking care to insure the measure tape isn't tight, or too loose.

Answer 5

There are a number of techniques and devices for testing and measuring body composition, including:

• Body fat calipers (hand-held, manual or electronic) which measures subcutaneous fat using a single or multiple skin fold tests
• Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA), which measures body composition by passing a weak electrical current through the body. The most common BIA devices are electronic body fat scales, although there are also hand-held versions.
• Hydrostatic Weighing,which involves submerging the body in a tank of water and measuring the buoyancy of the body (more muscle mass causes the body to sink, while more body fat causes it to rise.)
• Air Displacement Plethysmography (ADP) which uses the same principle as hydrostatic weighing, but instead measures the displacement of air in a sealed chamber, verses water.
• Dual X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) uses a low-level X-ray to give very precise measurements of bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD), lean tissue mass, fat tissue mass, and % of fat.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging or Computed Tomography, which like DXA, provides very detailed and accurate body composition measures.

The most common, inexpensive and accessible forms of body composition testing for most people continue to be calipers and bioelectrical impedance analysis.

Of the two, calipers are considered to be the most accurate - typically within four percentage points of a person's actual body fat percentage - which is usually sufficient for most people. The difference in accuracy between single-point skin fold caliper tests and multiple-point tests is marginal, and research has shown that a single-point test, when properly done, can be almost as accurate as hydrostatic weighing.

Answer 6

There are several ways to measure your body fat percentage:

1. Skinfold calipers: The least expensive but also the most complicated and error-prone way to measure body fat
2. BIA (bioelectrical impedance analysis): 96% accuracy; the easiest-to-use and relatively inexpensive tool for body fat measurement (you can pick up a good BIA scale for less than $100 at a local Target, sports store, or online)
3. Hydrostatic (underwater) weighing: 97% to 98% accuracy; the most uncomfortable way to measure body fat, and not all swimming pool facilities offer the service
4. DEXA Scan (Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry): 97% to 98% accuracy; controversial because of the use X-rays

Answer 7

There are several methods one can utilize to measure body fat. These include the use of the Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA), calipers or the pinch test, or bioelectrical impedance.

Answer 8

Your doctor or counselor at the gym can do this for you.