cktimes.ca Archives for Choices4Wellness
Choices4Wellness
What's inside you – does matter!
Tuesday, April 4, 2006
Body CompositionScientists have been studying body composition since the beginning of the 20th century, but research has increased dramatically in the last 25 years as methods for measuring and analyzing the body have grown in accuracy.
There is growing evidence that clearly links body composition with health risks and the development of certain diseases. New research indicates that fat loss, not weight loss, can extend human longevity.
Most people don't realize that there is only one "direct" method of measuring body composition that is close to 100% accurate, and that is an autopsy-performed Post Mortem. All other current methods for measuring body composition rely on "indirect" measurement techniques and are called In Vivo methods--meaning they are performed on a living body.
Measurements of body composition are based on theoretical body composition models.
The more traditional methods are based on a two-component model that simply divides the body into fat and fat-free mass. Newer, more sophisticated techniques measure the body as multiple compartments consisting of water, protein, bone mineral, and fat. This approach improves the accuracy of the calculation for determining the real density of fat-free mass.
Basic body comp terms:
Weight: refers to the total weight of the body including bones, muscle, fat, water, etc.
Over weight: is defined as a body weight that exceeds the acceptable weight for a particular person, based on individual height and/or frame size. Standards are usually determined solely on the basis of population averages that can and do change over time. Standards may also vary with gender and ethnicity. An overweight person does not necessarily have too much fat nor increased health risks, if the excess weight is due to an above-average amount of muscle.
Obesity (overfat)is the condition where the individual has an excessive amount of body fat. There is general agreement that men with body fat percentages over 25 and women over 35 are overfat, and that fat values of over 30 percent in men and 40 percent in women is considered obese.
BMR (Basal metabolic Rate) : diet alone will usually result in a loss of muscle, and this will slow your metabolic rate, making it more difficult to keep the weight off. Exercise, however, increases your metabolic rate, for hours even after exercise, and can increase the amount of muscle you have.
Weight Versus Body Fat Weight measurement alone cannot always accurately determine the body fat status of a person because it does not differentiate between the fat-free mass and fat mass in the body. The relationship between three categories of body weight and body fat can be described according to five different people categories.
I am not going into how to determine obesity and the BMI scales etc. they in my opinion are not at all accurate! How you feel and how your clothes fit will give you a better reading then those charts.
Measuring body composition
Calipers
Anthropometry (Skinfold Measurements)?Using hand-held calipers that exert a standard pressure, the skinfold thickness is measured at various body locations (3-7 test sites are common). Then a calculation is used to derive a body fat percentage based on the sum of the measurements. Different prediction equations are needed for children and specific ethnic groups (over 3,500 equations have been validated). This approach usually uses underwater weighing as a reference method. The caliper method is based upon the assumption that the thickness of the subcutaneous fat (found just under the skin) reflects a constant proportion of the total body fat (contained in the body cavities ), and that the sites selected for measurement represent the average thickness of the subcutaneous fat.
Skinfold measurements are made by grasping the skin and underlying tissue, shaking it to exclude any muscle and pinching it between the jaws of the caliper. Duplicate readings are often made at each site to improve the accuracy and reproducibility of the measurements. Often to save time in large population studies, a single skinfold site measurement is made to reduce the time involved. Such a test should be used only for a rough estimate of obesity.
Generally speaking, skinfold measurements are easy to do, inexpensive and the method is portable. Overall, results can be very subjective as precision ultimately depends on the skill of the technician and the site measured. The quality of the calipers is also a factor; they should be accurately calibrated and have a constant specified pressure. Inexpensive models sold for home use are usually less accurate than those used by an accredited caliper technician. The more obese the subject, the more difficult to "pinch" the skinfold correctly, requiring even more skill to obtain an accurate measurement.
I use the caliper method now and then but the Tanita machine (leg-to-leg bioimpedance analysis) does a faster and just as accurate reading if not more so.
Hydrodensitornetry (Underwater Weighing)
Or The Dunk Tank
This method measures whole body density by determining body volume according to Archimedes' principle, which states that an object submerged in water is kept afloat by the weight of the water it displaced. This technique first requires weighing a person outside the tank then immersing them totally in a tank of water. The densities of bone and muscles are higher than water, and fat is less dense than water. So a person with more bone and muscle will weigh more in water, meaning they have a higher bone density and lower percentage of body fat. The body volume and density is calculated by using standard formulas (Siri or Brozek). Body fat percentage is then calculated from body density.
Bioelectrical Impedance?Body impedance is measured when a small, safe amount of current, is passed through the body, carried by water and fluids. The greater the amount of water in the person's body, the easier it is for the current to pass; the less water, the higher the resistance or impedance, By entering impedance measurements, along with a person's height, weight and gender into mathematical equations, it is possible to estimate the values of water, lean mass, and fat content, Lean body tissue (fat-free mass) is composed of 70-75% water, fat tissue only 10-15% water. The more lean tissue a person has, the more water their body can hold. Once the person's impedance is known, the amount of lean and fat tissue can be estimated. BIA usually uses underwater weighing as its method of reference.
Estimating the amount of lean tissue, however, assumes that the person is normally hydrated. If the muscles are dehydrated, the amount of fat tissue will measure greater. Factors such as not drinking enough fluids, too much caffeine or alcohol, exercising or eating close to measuring time, use of prescription drugs, menstrual cycle, etc. can alter a person's state of hydration, thereby affecting total body resistance and the estimate of fat-free mass.
In the traditional BIA method, a person lies on a cot and spot electrodes are placed on the hands and bare feet. Electrolyte gel is applied first, and then a current of 50 kHz is introduced. BIA has emerged as a promising technique because of its simplicity, low cost, high reproducibility and non-invasiveness.† BIA prediction equations can be either generalized or population-specific, allowing this method to be potentially very accurate. Selecting the appropriate equation is important in determining the quality of the results. To minimize variables caused by a person's hydration level, measurements should always be taken under constant and controlled conditions.
As BIA research improves, scientists are leaning toward developing a multi-frequency method that will further improve BIAs ability to predict a person's hydration level and increase the over-all accuracy of the measurement. New segmental BIA methodologies will use more electrodes leading to more precise measurements of specific sections of the body.
Tanita BIA
Tanita has developed a simplified version of BIA that uses leg-to-leg bioimpedance analysis. In this system, two footpad electrodes (pressure contact) are incorporated into the platform of a precision electronic scale. A person's measurements are taken while in a standing position with the electrodes in contact with bare feet. The body fat monitor/analyzer automatically measures weight and and then impedance. Computer software (a microprocessor) imbedded in the product uses the measured resistance, the subject's gender and height, and in some cases age, (which have been pre-programmed and the weight to determine body fat percentage based on equation formulas. Tanita's reference method is DEXA.
There are more ways but these 3 are the most used to date so there you have it
Throw out your weight scale it is not telling you what is truly inside you. As a matter of fact if you continually are looking at your scale every morning it will be more stressful on you and counterproductive as to the goals you are trying to accomplish.
Take the time and get a body composition done and find out what you are really made of..
Thanks for reading.....Greg Foster
Inspiration of the week:
To achieve it, you have to know it in your HEAD and believe it in your HEART.
Greg Foster, owner of Choices4Wellness has a long history in the Natural Health industry. Since 1987 Greg's goal has been to own and operate his own store. While working toward his goal, he was a sales associate for Prolab a sports nutrition company. Greg also worked as a personal trainer and helped people achieve their fat loss and fitness goals, while also teaching them that these goals were about a "whole" lifestyle approach and the benefits of supplements and healthy food choices . Always teaching that it's about FAT LOSS not weight loss, Greg is now able to live out his dream of owning a health food store so that he can better meet the needs of his clients. Greg has a personal training room at the store where he has one on one time with his clients. They range from teenagers to couples that want personalized time and attention to achieve fitness goals without the busy atmosphere of a gym, where sometimes your precious work-out time is gobbled up by socializing and waiting your turn on the equipment.. It is during this time that Greg is able to recommend lifestyle choices to enhance your work-out routine & a positive mental attitude. Being a father of 3 boys, ages Trevor 18, Chad 10,and Shane 9 , Greg is sympathetic to living a busy life, and helps to make fitness goals realistic as well. At 41, Greg Foster , has embarked on a journey of entrepreneurial spirit, meshed with a passion to see people lead healthier ,happier lives. Truly, a business combination for success. Kim Iles, the manager of Choices4Wellness, is no stranger to the Natural Health Industry. She formerly founded and owned Alternative Choices from 1993 until its closing in 2004. During those 11years, Kim achieved many levels of business experience. She was on the board of directors for the CHFA (Canadian Health Food Association) as well as developing and franchising her Alternative choices concept. Kim's real passion however is with teaching, providing lectures, and spreading her knowledge of natural health through out Chatham-Kent and beyond. Kim is a mother of a 22 year old daughter , Nicole and a 17 year old son, Jordon . To Choices4Wellness, Kim also brings her knowledge of the water purification side of the business. Kim is a former owner and co-founder of Pure Choice Water Centers. The new store located inside of Choices4Wellness is appropriately named Choices4Water with a slogan "water you can believe in", offering state of the art purification better tasting and at better prices than the old business she left behind. Kim has always been a familiar voice on the radio, as well as in the newspaper, as she believes education and creating awareness is vital to getting people use and accept natural health products to create wellness and a lifestyle that enhances their lives.
