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Calculate Body Fat - How to know your body fat percentage
Knowing your body fat percentage is fundamental in getting a clear picture of where you stand in terms of your weight, and perhaps more importantly, in gauging the progress you make over time. There are many ways to have your body fat measured. While methods such as computed tomography (CT), duel energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA or DXA), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), air displacement plethysmography (BOD POD), and others exist-- most of these methods require expensive equipment usually found in clinical or laboratory settings and operated by trained technicians. Perhaps the most convenient, practical, and plausible methods for you are: --Hydrostatic weighing,
In other words, no method is entirely clad proof and they all serve better as approximations. In fact, the reliability of the results you'll get diminishes as we run down the list of methods-- with anthropometry yielding the least reliable results. Hydrostatic weighing or hydrodensitometry as it is sometimes referred to, is still considered the 'gold standard' in the fitness industry. Some of you, especially athletes, may be familiar with this method. This is where you are submerged in a tank full of water and your weight under water in relation to the water displaced can reveal your body density. To calculate body fat, Archimedes' principle is used. This technique is considered the gold standard because it is relatively accurate. Most universities and many hospitals offer this service however, unless you're an athlete, it may not be practical for you. Perhaps the most valid and reliable method of choice is skinfold measurements using calipers. This is the method most of you are probably familiar with and the one I recommend most. A caliper is a pincer device a personal trainer uses to measure the thickness of a double layer of finger-pinched skin and subcutaneous fat-- the fat that is beneath the surface of the skin. The measurements taken at various sites on your body are then plugged into a formula to calculate body fat percentage. The most convenient and reliable way to know your body fat percentage is to go to your nearest health club and enquire about the possibility of having a body composition assessment using skinfold measurements. For a relatively small price, a certified personal trainer will take your skinfold measurements and tell you what your body fat percentage is in less than 20 minutes. Although this method is generally considered to be fairly accurate, you should know that the results are heavily dependent on the trainer's experience and ability to use calipers. If you've calculated your BMI or Waist to Hip Ratio and fall into the 'obese' classification, skinfold thickness may not be the best option for you. More and more, you can find devices today designed for home use that calculate body fat percentage. They're either in the form of hand-held devices or bathroom scales. Many treadmills today incorporate this capability into the equipment itself. This technology for the most part, uses bioelectrical impedance (BIA) and also carries a standard error of estimate. Generally, your results will be far less accurate than having your body fat measured by skinfold calipers. But it's simple and very convenient. Bioelectrical impedance essentially sends a small electrical current through the body which you cannot feel and is based on the principle that fat and water have a different 'impedance', i.e., resistance to electrical currents. Fat has a very high resistance or impedance while muscle, which is about 70 percent water has a very low impedance. To calculate body fat, this method measures the differential effects of the current running through your body. Another option is through the use of anthropometric measurements. This is just a big word to describe measurements of body parts using a typical tape measure, like wrapping the tape around your waist, the way you would for the Waist to Hip ratio, for example. The advantage is that it's extremely easy and highly practical. You can take the measurements yourself-- however, the results are typically the least accurate of the bunch. There are different methods and formulas available to you. The U.S. Navy has developed a three-site measurement method. I've included a body fat calculator in the Health Calculators Section of this website for your convenience. Just remember your results will be far less accurate than having your body fat measured by skinfold calipers. If you haven’t done so, I would urge you to go ahead and have your body fat measured at your local health club by a certified personal trainer. It’s practical, relatively inexpensive, and fairly accurate. You'll come back home knowing your body fat percentage (BF%). But how is your body fat percentage related to ideal weight? If you carry excessive levels of body fat, you are more at risk for developing cardiovascular diseases and the need to reduce your body fat becomes increasingly vital for your health and well being. Use this body fat index, also referred to as body fat norms, to judge if you have a healthy body fat percentage...
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