Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis
Body composition, BMI, Weight Loss, Fitness, Body Fat Monitors… So many things to know,
so many things to do.
Keeping up with your body, staying healthy and physically fit is not an easy task.
In recent years we have come to understand that weight loss, although important, is not
the only factor we need to be looking at in order to improve our fitness and wellness.
Body weight alone can be misleading. A 6'1" high person is likely to weigh more that a
5'6" high person, does that mean that the first one is overweight?
Understanding the need for an additional parameter, researchers created the BMI, or the
Body Mass Index. BMI is the relationship between weight and height. BMI method requires
the use of a scale to determine the weight, and measuring tape to determine height. These
numbers are then put into an equation to determine the Body Mass Index.
BMI = kg/m2.
But is that good enough? Consider the same 6'1" high person weighing 180
pounds, and his friend with the same height but weighing 220 pound. According to previous
methods of measurement one could come to a conclusion that the "friend" is overweight. But
if we were told that the "friend" is a Bodybuilder; that might lead us to a different
conclusion. Obviously there are additional parameters to be considered. So…if weight
alone, and Body Mass Index are not sufficient tools to determine the level of fitness,
what else is there?
The Body Composition! Our bodies differ in height, size, and tissues
composition. Some have a massive frame (skeleton), larger muscles, higher water retention,
and more fat tissues than others. Knowing the percentage of fat tissues compare to lean
tissues, gives us a better indication of our body's overall condition.
In order to measure the percentage of fat in our bodies, researchers
developed different methods and tolls. Some use Infrared, X-ray, and others use Underwater
weighing, and Skin fold. A relatively new method is the BIA or Bioelectrical Impedance
Analysis. BIA measures the resistance of body tissues to the flow of a small, harmless
low-level current. Current flows easier through the body tissues that are composed mostly
of water, which is over 70% of our body. Bioelectrical impedance measures the strength and
speed of the electrical current sent through the body (impedance measure). It then uses
this measurement and additional data such as height, weight and gender to calculate the
percentage of fat tissues out of the whole body mass.
The Technology!
It was discovered that there is a direct correlation between the body's
electrical impedance and it's composition. The latest technology takes advantage of this
data to measure and process the body's impedance and supply valuable information about
one's body composition.
To find out how it works see this excellent tutorial,
Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis
Introduction, made by the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences University of
Vermont.
Using Body Fat Analyzers
Now you can see your body composition as easy as weighing yourself!
Find out more here...
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