The dexa duel energy x ray absorptiometry scan originally focused on measuring bone mineral density is now widely used as tool to measure body composition as well. First lets talk a little more about body composition.
Figure 1 From Anthropometry In Body Composition An Overview
What are the measurements of body composition. Body composition measurement methods are continuously being perfected. Click on the links to read more about the different measurements. But you wouldnt know it from measuring scale weight alone. All these factors can be measured. The measurement of human body composition allows for the estimation of body tissues organs and their distributions in living persons without inflicting harm. The tests described below provide a way of measuring current levels of body composition components and for determining changes over time.
This measurement includes all of the elements of your body. From a nutritional perspective the interest in body composition has increased multi fold with the global increase in the prevalence of obesity and its complications. Tanita produces body analyzers that can show you all these. This page explains which measurements there are and how they impact you. Ongoing efforts involve multisegmental and multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis quantitative magnetic resonance for total body water fat and lean tissue measurements imaging to further define ectopic fat depots. Total body scans using dexa give accurate and precise measurements of body composition including bone mineral content bmc bone mineral density bmd lean tissue mass fat tissue mass and fractional contribution of fat.
Therefore its important to measure body composition to see the whole picture. Weight weight is an overall measure of your body mass. Bmi your bmi or body mass index is a measurement. The definition of body composition is the percentages of bone fat water and muscle in human bodies. There are many different ways of measuring the amount of body fat or body composition which vary in accuracy ease of measurement costs and equipment requirements. Thats what happens when your body composition changes.
A dexa scan requires medical supervision by a radiologist and some consider it to be the new gold standard in body composition testing. For that reason im going to share my free body composition calculator. Body fat a component of the body that most dieters want to get rid of body fat is actually an important component. Dexa accomplishes this by running two beams of light over the bone and gauging how much light is absorbed.
Gallery of What Are The Measurements Of Body Composition
