Research about the two most common method for determination of body fat percentage

1. Bioelectrical Impedence Analysis
and Skinfold Thickness
Hawler Medical University – College of Pharmacy
Second stage – Group F
Zeineb Adel and Sarah Ibrahim
Supervised by: Dr. Rawaz Dlzar

2. Outline
• Introduction: what is body composition?
• Ways to measure body composition:
BIA and skinfold thickness
• Relationship between the two ways
• Summary

3. Introduction
What is body composition?
• It’s a measurement of
various proportions in
our body: fat and lean
tissue (e.g, muscle).
• It’s more convinient
that the classic *BMI
value
*BMI= Body Mass Index

4. Methods to measure body composition
1. BIA
Bioelectrical Impedance
Analysis
2. Skinfold Thickness
Measurement

5. First method: BIA
• It determines
the electrical resistance
(Ω) of the body tissues by
sending a weak impulse
(50 Hz) through them.
• The lean tissues (muscles)
are good conductors, as
they are made of water
and minerals. Fat is a poor
conductor, because it
contain very little water.
Muscle Fat

6. Accuracy of the BIA devices
Home scale Hand held Half body Whole body

7. Skin fold thickness measurement
• This is the most widely used method for estimating
body composition and involves measuring the layer of
fat under the skin (subcutaneous layer) at specific sites
with a skinfold caliper
• It may more accurately assess obesity than weighing.

8. Four sites are commonly used
1. Over the biceps muscle at the front of the arm .
2. Over the triceps muscle at the back of the arm .
3. Under the shoulder blade at the back
(subscapular).
4. Above the hip bone at the side of the body
(suprailiac).

9. Subscapular Supra-Iliac
Diagonal Measurements

10. Vertical Measurements
Triceps Biceps

11. Skinfold thickness test
(Females)

12. Ideal body fat percentage depends on...
1. Age
2. Sex
3. Heredity
4. Type of sport (swimmers perform better with
higher percentage of body fat )

13. Normal range of body fat percentage
• If the body fat percentage is close to the lower limit,
that person would be lean.
• It is desirable to have a body fat percentage
close to the upper limit .

14. Relationship between the two methods

15. Summary
• BIA and skinfold thickness measurement are
two methods used to calculate the body (fat)
percentage
• Their results are directly proportional
• Both are more specific than BMI value

16. Thanks for listening
Any question or suggestion?