General
This section covers the following:
- Define Body Composition
- Why is it important?
- How is it measured?
- How often should I be measured?
- Body compostion norms
See the Links and Terms below for more information.
Links
- Presidents Council on Physical Fitness (2004). Exercise and Weight Control. www.fitness.gov
- ACSM (2001). Appropriate Intervention Strategies for Weight Loss and Prevention of Weight Regain for Adults.
- United States Department of Health and Human Services (2002). Obesity Still on the Rise, New Data Show. www.hhs.gov/news/
- New Fitness (2004). Comparing Methods for Measuring Body Fat. www.new-fitness.com
- American Heart Association (2004). Body Composition Tests. www.americanheart.org
- BIO-Analogics (2004). Body Composition Techniques. http://www.bioanalogics.com
Terms
- Body Composition : The percentage of body fat to lean body mass in the body.
- Skinfold Calipers : A device used to measure the
thickness of a fold of skin in mm. when measuring body composition.
- Percent Body Fat : Another term for body composition.
- Hydrostatic Weighing : A scientific method for determining body composition that uses Archimedes Principal of water displacement; the difference between body weight measured on land and in a tank of water.