What Is The Most Accurate Body Fat Measurement?
So you wanna know what the most accurate body fat measurement is? Here’s a list of five different procedures to measure your body fat.
With everything going on in the world at the moment, we’re starting to realize how important it is to have a healthy body. It’s our first line of defense against viruses and many other chronic illnesses that can detrimentally affect our lives.
If you’re trying to get fit, a weighing scale is one of the most important things you need to have at home. It will allow you to monitor your progress and determine whether or not you’re on the right path to losing weight.
If you’re wondering what’s the most accurate body fat measurement, we’ve got you covered.
The Most Accurate Body Fat Measurement
Getting an accurate measurement of your body fat is vital to understanding how your weight loss program or activities affect each part of your body.
However, it’s not always easy to measure body fat. Some procedures require you to visit a clinic or the hospital if you want an accurate measurement.
Nonetheless, we figured we should help you understand your options. Here are some of them:
1. Skinfold Test
The skinfold test is probably one of the easiest procedures to measure body fat. Still, you need a professional with you if you are to take this seriously.
The skinfold test measures the thickness of certain parts of your body. For men, these parts include the thigh, abdomen, and chest. For women, the parts we need to measure are the thighs, triceps, and suprailiac (about an inch above the right hip bone).
A professional can determine your body fat content by folding the skin and using the vernier caliper clamp.
That said, it’s important to note that the skinfold test is not as accurate as the other tests we’ve listed here.
2. Hydrostatic Weighing
If you want a more accurate body fat measurement, you can try hydrostatic weighing.
The first step is rather easy. You just need to get your overall weight using a weighing scale.
The next part is where it gets trickier. You will need to place the weighing scale and a chair underwater.
After you undress, sit on the chair and make sure that you submerge half of your body in the water. Once the scale provides you with a measurement, subtract the weight of the chair from it.
This should provide you with an accurate measurement of your body fat.
3. BOD POD
This next test is rather complicated because it requires an essential piece of equipment that you may not be able to find elsewhere. The BOD POD is an enclosed chamber where you will be sitting after taking your body weight.
This equipment will then measure the amount of air your body releases once you’re inside the egg-shaped container. This entire process uses the principle known as air displacement plethysmography.
While this may be one of the most accurate tests you could take, it’s also one of the most expensive. Not to mention the technical expertise required to finish this process.
4. Advanced Body Fat Scale
If you don’t have the funds or resources to take the BOD POD or hydrostatic weighing tests, but you also want something more accurate than the skinfold test, you still have other options.
One of these is by using an advanced body fat scale. Thanks to the technological developments we’ve made in recent years, weighing scales that measure body fat are now commercially available.
These devices look just like your regular weighing scales, but they offer more top-of-the-line features.
For example, in this in-depth Renpho scale review, you will find that these devices can now use sensors to monitor each part of your body.
Advanced body fat weighing scales can also connect to Bluetooth or WiFi to send your weight information to your smartphone. This feature makes it particularly easier to observe your progress because your handheld device will store all your data.
5. DEXA Scan
The DEXA scan test, also known as the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry test, utilizes the same technology used in X-rays.
While it’s commonly used to measure bone density, it can also provide you with detailed measurements of your body composition.
The DEXA scan can show your body’s fat content in the pelvis, abdomen, legs, or arms. Since it’s almost similar to an X-ray test, the results are rather quick and accurate.
That said, DEXA scan machines are not always available for public use. They’re only available in selected hospitals or institutions for research purposes.
Conclusion
Maintaining an ideal body weight is one of the most important things we need to focus on right now. It will give us a general idea of how healthy we are.
However, simply knowing your body weight is sometimes insufficient. You also need to determine your body fat content to make sure you’re on the right track.
If you don’t know what the most accurate body fat measurement available to you is, sadly, most tests are expensive or not easily accessible.
Nonetheless, you can still invest in advanced body fat weighing scales to keep track of your progress.
