Determine your fat percentage
The human body is composed of four chemical components: water, minerals, proteins and fat. To determine the fat percentage, we take into account the parameters of non-fat components and fat components. The body fat measurement is also important to establish standards for obesity and to control changes in nutritional habits.
Since there is a negative correlation between too much fat and athletic performance, it is also important for athletes to determine the fat percentage. These measurements also enable people to compare their own fat percentage with standard fat percentages of athletes. Finally, fat measurement also contributes to evaluate the short and long term effects of training programs.
Methods to measure your fat percentage:
Over the past fifty years, numerous methods have been developed to determine the body composition. We explain briefly the 5 most popular ones.
1. Skinfold thickness measurement:
This is the most popular technique for determining the fat percentage, because it is relatively easy to apply and you only need to use a tool that measures the thickness of the skin fold, which in itself is not expensive investment. A skin fold thickness is actually two layers of skin and two subcutaneous fat layers whose thickness is measured with this tool. This assumes that the thickness of the subcutaneous tissue shows a constant proportion of the total fat mass and that the selected measurement points represent the average thickness of subcutaneous adipose tissue. The classical measurement locations for this measurements are the back of the upper arm (triceps), the underside of the shoulder, hip and medial calf. Other frequently used parts of the body for measurements are the thigh, chest and abdomen.
Estimates of body fat through these measurements are limited by several factors:
The amount of subcutaneous fat varies with age, gender and race, and the compressibility of the skinfold is age-related. The amount of subcutaneous fat ranges from 27% to 66%. Despite the limitation because of the variability due to age, gender and race, the technique is commonly used to estimate the fat content.
. Underwater Weighing:
There are people who float like a cork and others sink like a stone. The second category is more likely to include the strength athletes. In general, the more fat a person has, the better he floats. The buoyancy in the water can be used to predict how "dense" someone is. On this basis it is possible to estimate the amount of fat someone has. This procedure is also known as densitometry, measuring the body density. By density we mean the density of a substance, ie the ratio of the mass of a certain volume of that substance, with reference to this volume or % g = m / v. To deduce body fat from body density, it is necessary to assume that the body is composed of a non-fat and fat compartment. The non-fat compartment (also fat-free mass or FFM) includes muscle, bone and other non-fat tissues.
On this, we apply the Archimedes' principle. According to this principle, a body immersed in water, will experience an upward force that equals the volume of the displaced water. Since the density of fat is lower than that of water, fat contributes to the upward force. This method is limited by the following : for disciplines such as bodybuilding, this method is not suitable, because the body density of the athlete can be greater than 1.10 g / cc which would lead to 0% fat, or even negative fat, which is clearly impossible.
3. Bioelectrical impedance analysis:
This is a relatively new technique, based on the factors that influence the electrical currents in the body. The measurement is based on the principles that the intra-and extracellular fluids in the body function as a conduit for low frequency electric currents. The method is quite simple because the measured person just has to lie down on a non-conductor. Once the person lies down, Some electrodes are fixed on the body.
4. Dual Energy X-ray absorptiometry:
This is a relatively recent radiological technique and is considered by many as the most reliable. Actually, this technology is mostly used to determine bone density with osteoporosis patients. Exposure to X-rays is minimal and the accuracy is significantly higher than the underwater measurement method and quite easy to use. The disadvantage is that it is very expensive.
5. Ultrasound measurements:
This method was largely used in the fifties to determine the body composition of cattle. In fact, with this technique we capture sound waves with frequencies higher than 20 kHz. When an ultrasonic wave goes from one medium to another is (as in the human body different tissues have different acoustic properties and composition), it is partly absorbed by the tissue and / or reflected to the receiver.
