Body Fat Analyzer - Jess Herr

Author

Jessica Herr

Sensor / Probe

Information retrieved from The OMRON Body Fat Analyzer Instruction Manual

The OMRON Body Fat Analyzer estimates the body fat percentage by the Bioelectrical Impedance (BI) method.

What is the Bioelectrical Impedance Method?

Muscles, blood vessels and bones are body tissues having a high water content that conduct electricity easily. Body fat is tissue that has little electric conductivity. The Body Fat Analyzer sends an extremely weak electrical current of 50 kHz and 500 μA through your body to determine the amount of fat tissue. This weak electrical current is not felt while operating the Body Fat Analyzer.

The Bioelectrical Impedance Method safely combines the electric resistance with the distance of the electricity conducted. Correct posture and consistent measuring conditions need to be maintained for the best results.

How to estimate the body fat percentage.

Hydrodensitometry, or underwater weighing, has been the established method for accurate evaluation of body composition. Omron has used research information from several hundred people using the underwater weighing method to develop the formula by which the Body Fat Analyzer works. The body fat mass and body fat percentage is calculated by a formula that includes five factors: electric resistance, height, weight, age and gender.

What is the submerged body weight weighing method?

The underwater weighing method submerges a person in a pool from head to toe to be weighed. Omron has collected information on people from 10 to 80 years of age using this method.

(There are certain conditions, such as with dialysis patients, when significant differences may occur between the estimated and actual body fat values. These differences may be related to consistently changing ratios of body fluid and/or bone density.)

How to Measure

Start the Measurement

1) Stand with both feet slightly apart.

2) Hold the grip electrodes.

Wrap your middle finger around the groove of the handle. Place the palm of your hand on the top and the

bottom electrodes. Put your thumbs up, resting on top of the unit.

3) Hold your arms straight out, at a 90 degree angle to your body. Do not move during the measurement.

4) Confirm the ready to measure display.

5) Push the Start button.

6) Hold the electrodes with both hands. The unit automatically detects that it is held and starts measurement.

The display flashes one by one and moves to the right end.

The BMI judgment bar turns on immediately after the body fat percentage and the

BMI are displayed. (The bar at the right end flashes). You can start another measurement when the indicator turns on.

7) Push the On/Off button to turn the power off.

Sample Investigation

Use of this instrumentation would best suit athletic teams or physiology students. Careful consideration should be given to implementation of the body fat analyzer due to the sensitive and personal information the device calculates.

Sample investigations could include:

1. Changes in BMI or percent body fat after various exercise routines.

2. Changes in BMI or percent body fat in response to longitudinal studies.

3. Correlations between BMI and percent body fat

4. Differences in average values between males and females

5. Correlations between BMI or percent body fat and other external factors.

6. Normal fluctuations of BMI and percent body fat in one day.

7. Accuracy of body fat analyzer compared to traditional calipers.

Sample Data & Analysis and Interpretation