The percentage of body fat is calculated by the help of various approaches. Some techniques of estimating body fat are very costly, necessitate elite laboratory apparatus, and are not easily accessible.
Body Fat Calipers:
Body fat can be calculated by utilizing trouble-free skinfold calipers. It is used to measure the amount of fat just beneath the skin in spots like upper arm, upper back, lower back, stomach and thigh. These fat measurements are then averaged and put into a formula to conclude the total body fat percentage. It relies on as assumption that the thickness of the fat beneath the skin is proportional to the fat accumulated deeper in the body.
Bioelectrical Impedance:
Bioelectrical impedance engrosses sending a mild electrical signal through the body. The more muscle a person has, the more water their body is able to clutch. The greater amount of water in a person’s body, the easier it is for the electricity to pass through, the more fat present in a person’s body, more resistance is blocking the signal. Bioelectrical impedance can be pretty perfect but the results are affected by intake of food, body temperature and water intake.
Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA)
The DEXA device measures bone density. Though, it can also measure body fat percentage. It uses a body scanner and two low-dose x-rays to read bone mass and soft tissue mass. From beginning till end, it takes about 15-20 minutes to do a body scan. It offers a high degree of precision in measuring body fat percentage but the process is very costly.
Underwater weigh up
In this process percent body fat is calculated on the basis of the density of body. The density of body is calculated by an equation that involves measuring a person suspended on a trapeze in the air and then weighing the person under water.
Body Mass Index:
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a bond between weight and height that is related with body fat and health risk. Weight is converted to kilograms; height is converted to meters and then squared. These numbers are then put into an equation to determine Body Mass Index:
BMI = kg/m2.
Girth Measurement
Girth measurements are circumference measurement taken at a specific body spot and recorded. They are converted to a constant and then entered into a formula to get percent body fat.
