Body composition is used to describe the percentages of fat, bone, water, and muscle in human bodies. Two people of same sex and body weight may look completely different from each other because they have a different body composition. Body composition and growth are key components of health in both individuals and populations.
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When you’re thinking of losing weight or simply want to see how healthy you are, you probably do one of two things: step on a scale or calculate your BMI. But the truth is, these methods don’t tell you anything about how healthy you are– all weight and BMI does is compare how heavy you are to a standard that doesn’t fit your individual goals.
When you’re trying to get healthier, you’re most likely going to lose fat and (hopefully) gain muscle. But BMI and weight don’t differentiate between muscle and fat. So how can you? Through body composition analysis.
Body composition analysis is a method of describing what the body is made of, differentiating between fat, protein, minerals, and body water to give you a snapshot of your health. InBody is in the business of body composition analysis, and we’re here to teach you the importance of it today’s day and age to help you reach your health goals from the inside out.
Health practitioners universally agree that too much fat is a serious health risk. Problems such as hypertension, elevated blood lipids (fats and cholesterol), diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, respiratory dysfunction, gallbladder disease, and a myriad of other health problems are all related to obesity.
PBF (percent body fat) is more important than BMI to assess the health
According to BMI, two individuals of the same height and weight will always have the same obesity risk, regardless of the amount of fat or muscle that an individual maintains.
PBF= pounds of body fat/body weight. PBF allows you to assess the ratio of muscle to fat for your weight so you can set realistic and achievable health goals for yourself.
BMI is an outdated methodBody Mass Index (BMI) is a common method used to assess the health of an individual by comparing the amount of weight they carry to the height of the individual. In its most basic sense, BMI may be useful for identifying those who are at an increased health risk as a result of excess fat accumulation.
Despite the widespread use of BMI in clinical practice, BMI has many limitations and is a poor tracking tool for weight change because there’s no way to identify if changes in your weight are in fat or muscle. That’s because BMI is calculated simply by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by their height: BMI = kg/m2
Focus on body fat percentage insteadAs you move away from BMI, you should focus on the percentage of body fat you have at your weight. At InBody, we call this PBF (percent body fat).
There is no consensus on what the best body fat level for health (the amount of fat storage that maximizes health by minimizing risk for adverse health states/conditions) is for the general population.
The normal body fat range provided by InBody is set at 10-20% for males (15% as ideal) and 18-28% for females (23% as ideal).
A healthy balance between fat and muscle is vital for health and wellness throughout life. Scientific evidence shows that a healthy body composition will increase your lifespan; reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, insulin resistance, etc.; increase energy levels, and improve self-esteem.
There are many ways to determine your body composition. Some are quick and easy, but provide basic information only. Some are lengthy and expensive, and require the assistance of a trained technician to administer a test. Here are a few methods that are used to determine body composition:
