Bodyfat

Bodyfat Testing

Testing for bodyfat content:

The problems with obesity include not only susceptibility to work inefficiently and emotional issues, but also an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diabetes and other organ diseases. In fact, life insurance statistics indicate that the death rate increases 1% for each pound of excess fat carried by an individual over age forty-five.

For the above reasons, body fat testing is now considered an important factor in accessing nutritional status and general fitness. Bodyfat testing is much more meaningful than weight alone, since the height-weight charts do not take into account body composition., which is the reason such charts are highly inaccurate about 40% of the time. This height-weight method was also developed in the 1940's. The critical question is whether an individual is carrying too much body-fat rather than too much weight, which could be due to muscularity.

One of the most practical methods of determining bodyfat is through the use of calipers to measure the skin fold thickness, which is affected by underlying adipose or fat tissue. By pinching the skin and pulling it away from underlying muscle tissue, one is able to measure the amount of fat that attaches to the skin. Since approximately 50% of the fat in the human body lies underneath the skin, it is then possible to predict overall body fat.

As we age, metabolism slows down. It is estimated that with each decade over age 25 the body loses about 4% of its metabolically active cells (muscle). Therefore, if the diet remains relatively unchanged and activity level does not increase, weight will be gained since the total energy expenditure has declined; and this weight gain will be in the form of fat. This means that the adult should either become more physically active, specifically resistance type exercise or should eat less in order to maintain a constant % of body fat throughout life.

As for those people who brag about their weight that had not changed over the years without exercise, it is important to note that due to a loss of metabolically active cells, lean body mass (muscle) has declined. Therefore, the maintenance of body weight means an increase in the percentage of body fat. As most people actually put on weight with advancing years, there is in reality an extremely large accumulation of fat tissue. Remember, body weight alone is not sufficient evidence that one is winning the battle of the bulge. To be successful at weight (fat) control, one need to combine healthy eating habits with exercise in order to maintain muscle tissue, which is more metabolically active.