One method uses callipers to measure skinfold thickness at several areas of your body. An expert pinches your skin at several standardized points on the body to determine the subcutaneous fat layer. The results are then plugged into a formula to determine your body fat. Some formulas require as few as three measurements, others as many as seven. The accuracy of these estimates is more dependent on a person's unique body fat distribution than on the number of sites measured. The result is based on the idea that thickness of fat under the skin reflects total body fat.
Advantages
- This is one of the more accessible ways to check body fat and is generally painless.
- You can get tested at most health clubs and universities for little or no cost.
- Quick
- Painless
Disadvantages
- It depends on the skill of the tester at separating your fat from your muscle and finding the right spots to pinch.
- Results varying when done by different people.
- The results can also be skewed if you're older (since fat moves inward with age).
- Results can vary for more, muscular individuals, which tend to have more fat associated with the muscle.
- The formulas are based on white subjects; therefore if you are not white the numbers calculated can be skewed.
- Additionally it is of utmost importance to test in a precise location with a fixed pressure.
Another way to do a body fat test is to use a body fat analyser. A body fat analyzer is a handy device to regulate and control your fat intake. A portable body weight scale helps you to monitor your weight regularly. Unlike an analogue scale, the digital weight scale helps you to keep track of the minute fluctuations in your body weight. All you need to do is grip the machine handles for a few seconds. You are then required to feed in the required information regarding your height, weight, age and gender. The body fat analyzer will use electrical impedance to measure your body fat against your lean body weight, thereby calculating your BMI.
Losing weight which has been gained over a long time is not an easy task but once achieved, it is often just as hard to maintain your desired weight and keep on looking and feeling good. This is why it often helps to keep an eye on your body fat measurement as well as your weight and what the mirror tells you. This will help to keep you on track to keeping fit and healthy.