BODY COMPOSITION ANALYSIS

What is it? 

Body composition is the relative proportion of fat and fat free tissue (including muscle mass) in the body. 

Why is it important?  

Body composition analysis provides important data on the amount of fat and lean body mass an individual has which can be used to guide and monitor strategies that: 

• promote weight and fat loss 

• reduce risk of chronic diseases 

• increase muscle mass

• improve sport performance 

• promote optimal body composition for competition 

• determine the efficacy of training, nutrition and supplement interventions 

What it involves? 

There are two methods which can be utilised when measuring body composition 

DEXA scan:This is the gold-standard and is a quick and painless method. Participants lay flat on their back and remain as still as possible on an x-ray table whilst an imaging arm passes over the entire body. A low dose energy beam will scan skinfold thickness to assess the composition of fat and lean mass in the body. 

Skinfold Callipers: Specific sites are carefully marked up on the body. Using skinfold callipers, skinfold measurements are taken at each site.