/assets/production/practices/f2ccf34094c396215e4b81c7f198fef5b917a569/images/2689998.jpg)
Body composition analysis is a crucial step when planning your weight-loss program at Inclusa Health and Wellness, PLLC in Liberty Lake, Washington. Obesity medicine specialist Stephanie Persondek, DO, and her team use body composition analysis to guide your treatment because the amount of fat you carry reflects your health needs better than your total weight or BMI. Call Inclusa Health and Wellness, PLLC today or connect online to request an appointment and take the first step toward long-lasting weight loss.
What is body composition analysis?
A body composition analysis reveals the amount of fat and lean mass (muscles and bones) in your body.
Identifying how much of your weight comes from fat is essential for creating the best medical weight management plan.
Getting a regular body composition analysis during your weight loss journey also allows you to watch the transformation as you lose fat and gain muscle.
Patients at Inclusa Health and Wellness, PLLC find the proof of diminishing fat can reduce their risk of serious medical problems.
What are the advantages of body composition analysis?
Your total body weight and body mass index (BMI) don’t accurately reflect your overall health. Muscle weighs more than fat. That means a person who is obese can weigh less and have a lower BMI than someone who is thin but has substantial muscle mass.
If you only consider weight or BMI (a measure of fat based on your height and weight), you could jump to the wrong conclusion. By comparison, body composition analysis tells the real story of your body weight.
Though patients seeking medical weight management at Inclusa Health and Wellness, PLLC don’t face this problem, you may find it interesting to know that you can have too little body fat. A body composition analysis is also used when diagnosing health problems.
Your body depends on having a certain amount of essential fat to support your health. The body’s life-sustaining functions are disrupted if your body fat falls below a minimum level of 2%-5% for men and 10%-13% for women.
How is body composition analysis performed?
There are several techniques for performing a body composition analysis, including:
Bioelectrical impedance
Bioelectrical impedance determines your body composition based on resistance to a low-level electrical current (impedance). Calculating your body composition is based on the fact that electric current travels through muscle faster than fat.
Skinfold measurements
Your provider uses a tool called a caliper to measure the amount of fat under your skin.
DEXA scan
DEXA scans use a low-level X-ray technique to measure the amount of fat, muscle, and bone.
Hydrostatic weighing
During hydrostatic weighing, you’re submersed in a water tank and water displacement is used to measure body fat versus muscle.
Call Inclusa Health and Wellness, PLLC or use online booking to schedule a consultation and learn more about your body composition.