Body circumference or waist circumference measurements are a simple and easy way to estimate body fat. It uses a tape measure to see how wide around specific body parts are. Circumference is often assessed on body parts like the waist, arms, chest, thighs, and hips.

Research suggests carrying more weight on your abdomen is associated with an increased risk for health problems. The circumference method helps assess the risk for disease based on the weight you carry on your belly. However, this method may not be the best if your goal is to assess your overall body fat percentage because it only measures the circumference and not the percentage of fat and muscle.

The dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scan, known as a DEXA scan , uses low-energy X-rays to accurately measure the weight of bone, muscle, and body fat. After the scan, you receive an assessment of your bone density , body fat percentage, and mass of each body part.

Many professionals consider the DEXA scan the gold standard for measuring muscle mass. However, it can be harder to find a place to have a DEXA scan done depending on where you live, and it may be a more expensive option. Hydrostatic weighing measures the water displacement when someone is fully submerged in water.

Hydrostatic weighing was long considered the gold standard for assessing body composition until other methods, like DEXA scans, were developed.

While this method is accurate, some people find it difficult to stay submerged in water long enough for the assessment, and it may not be accessible. A bioimpedance analysis BIA uses a painless, low-energy electrical current to assess fat mass, muscle mass, and hydration water mass.

Muscle contains more water than fat, so it conducts the energy current better than fat. Fat tissue impedes the movement of the current. The BIA scanner can assess body composition based on how the energy moves through the body.

This test tends to cost less and may be easier to find than other types of scans. However, the accuracy of this assessment changes based on how hydrated you are. If you drink too much water before the test, you could appear leaner than you are. Some other methods of assessing body composition include:.

The best way to improve your body composition is to make healthy changes, like:. Eating a diet full of highly processed foods that provide large amounts of sugar and fat is associated with gaining weight and body fat. Moving more and exercising regularly helps improve body composition. Research shows all types of exercise programs helped improve the body composition of people who were sedentary.

The results showed strength training programs that develop the whole body had the biggest impact on body composition and improving bone density. Here are some tips to help you increase your physical activity.

The amount of time you sleep and your sleep quality can greatly impact your body composition. A study found poor sleep quality was associated with:. Here are some tips to help increase your sleep quality:.

In addition to the above lifestyle changes, other changes that may help your body composition include:. Body composition is a measurement of the amount of body fat and lean tissue in your body.

Body composition can be measured with tests like skinfold assessment, DEXA scan, body circumference, hydrostatic weighing, and bioimpedance analysis.

In addition, you may be able to improve your body composition by focusing on lifestyle changes like a healthy diet, exercise, sleeping better, and managing stress. Body composition can give you a better understanding of your current fitness and health level.

In addition, repeating the body composition test over time can help you track your progress on your wellness journey.

Many calculations for finding healthy body weight use factors like age, sex, and height. These measures can be limited and provide an estimated range. Still, finding your height on a BMI chart can give you an idea of what a healthy weight may be for you.

Strength training and interval training may have a bigger impact on raising your muscle mass and lowering your body fat percentage. American Cancer Society. Normal weight ranges: Body mass index BMI.

Body mass index BMI. Health effects of overweight and obesity. Holmes CJ, Racette SB. The utility of body composition assessment in nutrition and clinical practice: An overview of concurrent methodology. American College of Sports Medicine. Kasper AM, Langan-Evans C, Hudson JF, et al.

Come back skinfolds, all is forgiven: A narrative review of the efficacy of common body composition methods in applied sports practice. Frija-Masson J, Mullaert J, Vidal-Petiot E, Pons-Kerjean N, Flamant M, d'Ortho MP. Accuracy of smart scales on weight and body composition: Observational study.

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. St-Onge MP, Gallagher D. Body composition changes with aging: The cause or the result of alterations in metabolic rate and macronutrient oxidation? Schorr M, Dichtel LE, Gerweck AV, et al. Sex differences in body composition and association with cardiometabolic risk.

Biol Sex Differ. Fenton A. Weight, shape, and body composition changes at menopause. J Midlife Health. Brener A, Waksman Y, Rosenfeld T, et al. The heritability of body composition. BMC Pediatr. Amaro-Gahete FJ, De-la-O A, Jurado-Fasoli L, Ruiz JR, Castillo MJ, Gutiérrez Á. Effects of different exercise training programs on body composition: A randomized control trial.

Scand J Med Sci Sports. National Institute of Aging. How can strength training build healthier bodies as we age? Carbone JW, Pasiakos SM. Dietary protein and muscle mass: Translating science to application and health benefit.

Ahmad S, Demler OV, Sun Q, et al. Association of the Mediterranean diet with onset of diabetes in the Women's Health Study. JAMA Netw Open. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising.

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Skinfold measurements have been used to estimate body fat for over 50 years 1. Skinfold calipers measure the thickness of your subcutaneous fat — the fat underneath the skin — at certain body locations. Measurements are taken at either 3 or 7 different sites on the body. The specific sites used vary in men and women.

For women, the triceps, area above the hip bone and either the thigh or abdomen are used for the 3-site measurement 2. For a 7-site measurement in women, the chest, area near the armpit and area beneath the shoulder blade are also measured. For men, the 3 sites are the chest, abdomen and thigh, or the chest, triceps and area beneath the scapula 2.

For a 7-site measurement in men, the areas near the armpit and beneath the shoulder blade are also measured. Estimating body fat percentage with skinfold calipers is affordable and relatively simple once you know how to do it.

However, the accuracy depends on the skill of the person performing the assessment. Body shape varies from person to person, and the shape of your body provides information about your body fat 4.

For men, the circumferences of the neck and waist are used in this equation. For women, the circumference of the hips is also included 5. Using body circumferences to estimate body fat is quick and easy. However, the accuracy of this method can vary widely and is not considered an ideal method of measuring body fat percentage.

As the name implies, DXA uses X-rays of two different energies to estimate your body fat percentage 6. During a DXA scan, you lie on your back for approximately 10 minutes while an X-ray scans over you. The amount of radiation from a DXA scan is very low.

DXA is also used to assess bone density and provides detailed information about the bone, lean mass and fat in separate body regions arms, legs and torso 8. DXA is more accurate than many other methods of assessing body fat percentage. This method, also known as underwater weighing or hydrodensitometry, estimates your body composition based on its density 9.

This technique weighs you while submerged under water after exhaling as much air as possible from your lungs. You are also weighed while you are on dry land, and the amount of air left in your lungs after you exhale is estimated or measured. All of this information is entered into equations to determine the density of your body.

Hydrostatic weighing is an accurate way to assess your body fat. Similar to hydrostatic weighing, air displacement plethysmography ADP estimates your body fat percentage based on the density of your body 9.

However, ADP uses air instead of water. The relationship between the volume and pressure of air allows this device to predict the density of your body You sit inside an egg-shaped chamber for several minutes while the pressure of the air inside the chamber is altered.

To obtain accurate measurements, you need to wear skin-tight clothing or a bathing suit during testing. The Bod Pod is the main ADP device currently used. It predicts your body fat with air rather than water.

BIA devices detect how your body responds to small electrical currents. This is done by placing electrodes on your skin. Some electrodes send currents into your body, while others receive the signal after it has passed through your body tissues.

Electrical currents move through muscle easier than fat due to the higher water content of muscle BIA devices work by sending small electrical currents through your body to see how easily they travel through your tissues.

Many different devices are available, although advanced devices produce more accurate results. BIS and BIA devices look similar but use different technology. BIS uses a much larger number of electrical currents than BIA, in addition to high and low frequencies, to mathematically predict your amount of body fluid BIS also analyzes the information differently, and some researchers believe that BIS is more accurate than BIA 14 , However, similar to BIA, BIS uses the body fluid information it gathers to predict your body composition based on equations The accuracy of both of these methods depends on how similar you are to the people for whom these equations were developed However, BIS uses more electrical currents and processes the information differently.

However, while BIA and BIS send currents through your whole body, EIM sends currents through smaller regions of your body These devices are placed on different parts of the body to estimate the body fat of those specific areas Because this device is placed directly on specific body regions, it has some similarities to skinfold calipers, although the technologies are very different.

EIM injects electrical currents into small body regions. Portable devices are placed directly on different body parts to estimate the body fat percentage at those locations. More research is needed to establish the accuracy of this method.

For some devices, you stand on a rotating platform for several minutes while the sensors detect your body shape. Other devices use sensors that rotate around your body.

In this way, 3-D body scanners are similar to circumference measurements. However, a greater amount of information is provided by a 3-D scanner The method uses information about your body shape to predict your body fat percentage. More information is needed about the accuracy of these methods. Multi-compartment models are considered to be the most accurate method of body composition assessment 3 , These models split the body into three or more parts.

The most common assessments are called 3-compartment and 4-compartment models. These models require multiple tests to get estimates of body mass, body volume, body water and bone content For example, hydrostatic weighing or ADP can provide body volume, BIS or BIA can provide body water and DXA can measure bone content.

Information from each of these methods is combined to build a more complete picture of the body and obtain the most accurate body fat percentage 21 , Your results will be explained to you and suggestions will be given according to goals that you have i.

You will be able to keep your packet of results as a reference in the case that a follow up is desired in the future. Note: it is beneficial to do this scan every months for body composition and every year if you are looking to modify something specific such as bone density.

Because this test gives so much detailed information regarding various components in your body, it is a scan that can be used for anyone. Athletes can get this scan done if they are curious to track their muscle mass as well as overall fat percentage. Due to its broad uses, the average person who is simply curious about their health could get this scan in order to gain insight regarding their body composition.

This will change based on the amount of fat there is as well as the amount of lean mass there is. Fat Mass Index FMI : The total amount of fat you have in kilograms relative to your height in meters 2.

It is a measure of how much total fat you have, relative to your size and independent of lean mass. Visceral Adipose Tissue VAT : VAT is a hormonally active component of total body fat. The measurement reflects the amount of internal abdominal fat around the organs.

This is different than subcutaneous fat, which lies beneath the skin. Increased VAT has a high correlation to cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk. Current research shows and elevated risk at around cm 2 and.

It describes where the fat is stored. Android apple shape refers to having most of the fat around the stomach and mid-section. Gynoid pear shape refers to having the fat stored around the hips.

A bigger number means more android and a smaller number means more gynoid. From a health risk standpoint, ideal values are believed to be less than 0. Fat Free Mass Index FFMI : The amount of mass that is not fat, relative to your height.

This includes muscle, bone, organs and connective tissue. It can be used to gauge relative muscle mass in lean individuals. Skeletal Muscle Mass SMM : An estimate of the total amount of skeletal muscle you have.

Because muscle has approximately the same density as other organs liver, skin, etc… and other types of muscle heart, smooth muscle, etc… we are not able to directly the amount of skeletal muscle you have.

This is true of any commercially available body composition measurement bioelectrical impedance, underwater weighing. However, several scientific studies have been performed that demonstrate good accuracy between our estimated SMM and that measured by MRI or CT scanning.

Cut points in research are generally around 5. Cut points in research are generally around 0. Resting Metabolic Rate RMR : The number of calories the body needs to maintain its current mass under resting conditions. The value provided by the DXA scan is estimated from the amounts of different tissues, and tissue specific metabolic rates.

Bone Density: Shows how dense the bones are and can be used to assess the risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis.

However, similar to BIA, BIS uses the body fluid information it gathers to predict your body composition based on equations The accuracy of both of these methods depends on how similar you are to the people for whom these equations were developed However, BIS uses more electrical currents and processes the information differently.

However, while BIA and BIS send currents through your whole body, EIM sends currents through smaller regions of your body These devices are placed on different parts of the body to estimate the body fat of those specific areas Because this device is placed directly on specific body regions, it has some similarities to skinfold calipers, although the technologies are very different.

EIM injects electrical currents into small body regions. Portable devices are placed directly on different body parts to estimate the body fat percentage at those locations.

More research is needed to establish the accuracy of this method. For some devices, you stand on a rotating platform for several minutes while the sensors detect your body shape. Other devices use sensors that rotate around your body. In this way, 3-D body scanners are similar to circumference measurements.

However, a greater amount of information is provided by a 3-D scanner The method uses information about your body shape to predict your body fat percentage. More information is needed about the accuracy of these methods. Multi-compartment models are considered to be the most accurate method of body composition assessment 3 , These models split the body into three or more parts.

The most common assessments are called 3-compartment and 4-compartment models. These models require multiple tests to get estimates of body mass, body volume, body water and bone content For example, hydrostatic weighing or ADP can provide body volume, BIS or BIA can provide body water and DXA can measure bone content.

Information from each of these methods is combined to build a more complete picture of the body and obtain the most accurate body fat percentage 21 , However, they involve multiple tests and are not typically available to the general public. Some methods, such as skinfold measurements, circumference calculations and portable BIA devices, are inexpensive and allow you to be measured in your own home as frequently as you like.

The devices can also be purchased online easily, such as on Amazon. Most of the methods with highest accuracies are not available to use in your own home.

If you want a more accurate assessment and are willing to pay for it, you could pursue a method with good accuracy like hydrostatic weighing, ADP or DXA. Ideally, you should do the test before you have anything to drink, especially for methods that rely on electrical signals like BIA, BIS and EIM.

Assessing yourself the same way each time will reduce error rates and make it easier to tell if you are making progress. However, you should always interpret your results from any method with caution. Even the best methods are not perfect and only give you an estimate of your true body fat.

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Several dietary and lifestyle changes can help you burn body fat. Here are 12 great methods to promote long-term fat loss.

It is a myth that a pound of body fat contains exactly 3, calories. This article explains the actual amount and what that means for weight loss. This article takes a look at the science behind targeted fat loss, and checks if you can slim down specific areas of your body. If losing weight is your goal, this article covers 18 foods that may help support a healthy and sustainable weight loss journey, according to science.

Making a few small changes to your morning routine can help you lose weight and keep it off. This article tells you how. Exercise burns calories, but many people claim it doesn't help you lose weight.

This article explores whether exercise really helps with weight loss. Bod pod is similar to hydrostatic weighing, but uses air displacement instead of water displacement to measure body composition.

For this test, you sit in an egg-shaped chamber, which uses your body weight and volume to determine your body composition. Body composition provides valuable information about body fat percentage.

However, your body shape is unique to you and there are uncontrollable factors that affect your body composition including:.

To change your body composition, you need the right balance of physical activity and nutrition to reach your goals. Slow and steady changes work best when you want to increase muscle and lose fat. It's important to remember that some factors will remain out of your control. Before making any changes to your diet or workout routine, consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian for guidance.

Your body composition may help you better understand your current level of health and fitness. It can also serve as a measuring tool to monitor progress when starting a new fitness or wellness program. Seek advice from a health care professional before making any major changes to your diet or exercise routine.

The three somatotypes include ectomorphs, endomorphs, and mesomorphs. These body types are determined by your genetics. A person with an ectomorph body type has very little body fat and muscle and struggles to gain weight. Someone with an endomorph body type, on the other hand, has a high percentage of body fat and muscle and has no problems gaining weight.

Mesomorphs have an athletic build and can gain and lose weight easily. The 4-component model of body composition measures body fat, water, mineral, and protein content to assess body composition.

By comparison, the traditional 2-component model only uses fat mass and fat-free mass to assess body composition. Body fat percentages that measure higher than that range classify someone with obesity. University of California at Davis.

Sports Medicine. Body composition. Mittal B. Indian J Med Res. American Council on Exercise. Percent body fat calculator: skinfold method. Mehta J, Thompson B, Kling JM.

The female athlete triad: It takes a team. Cleve Clin J Med. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About adult BMI. Duren DL, Sherwood RJ, Czerwinski SA, et al. Body composition methods: comparisons and interpretation. J Diabetes Sci Technol. Holmes CJ, Racette SB. The utility of body composition assessment in nutrition and clinical practice: an overview of current methodology.

Wilkinson DJ, Piasecki M, Atherton PJ. The age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and function: Measurement and physiology of muscle fibre atrophy and muscle fibre loss in humans.

Ageing Res Rev. Schnurr TM, Gjesing AP, Sandholt CH, Jonsson A, Mahendran Y, Have CT, et al. PLoS ONE 11 11 : e Karastergiou K, Smith SR, Greenberg AS, Fried SK. Sex differences in human adipose tissues - the biology of pear shape.

Biol Sex Differ. University of Houston. Center of Wellness Without Borders. The 3 somatotypes. Wells JC, Fuller NJ, Dewit O, Fewtrell MS, Elia M, Cole TJ. Four-component model of body composition in children: density and hydration of fat-free mass and comparison with simpler models. Am J Clin Nutr.

Kravitz L, Heyward VH. Fat Free Mass Index FFMI : The amount of mass that is not fat, relative to your height. This includes muscle, bone, organs and connective tissue. It can be used to gauge relative muscle mass in lean individuals. Skeletal Muscle Mass SMM : An estimate of the total amount of skeletal muscle you have.

Because muscle has approximately the same density as other organs liver, skin, etc… and other types of muscle heart, smooth muscle, etc… we are not able to directly the amount of skeletal muscle you have.

This is true of any commercially available body composition measurement bioelectrical impedance, underwater weighing. However, several scientific studies have been performed that demonstrate good accuracy between our estimated SMM and that measured by MRI or CT scanning. Cut points in research are generally around 5.

Cut points in research are generally around 0. Resting Metabolic Rate RMR : The number of calories the body needs to maintain its current mass under resting conditions. The value provided by the DXA scan is estimated from the amounts of different tissues, and tissue specific metabolic rates.

Bone Density: Shows how dense the bones are and can be used to assess the risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis. The z-score compares your bone density to what is normal for people similar in age and body size. The t-score compares your bone density to that of a year-old.

Anything higher than Between Anything under UC Davis Health School of Medicine Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing News Careers Giving. menu icon Menu. Sports Medicine.