Why an Ideal Body Fat Percentage Is Crucial to Disease Prevention

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You probably know how much you weigh in pounds, but do you know the percentage of fat in your body? Body fat often correlates with other health risk factors. It is just as important to measure your body fat percentage as it is to measure blood pressure, blood glucose levels and other basic health factors. Understanding your body fat composition and knowing the ideal body fat percentage for you is essential in preventing diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Cooper Clinic offers two ways to measure body fat during comprehensive physical exams: calipers or “the gold standard” Body Fat Densitometry (DEXA scan). Michele Kettles, MD, MSPH, Chief Medical Officer and a preventive medicine physician at Cooper Clinic explains the benefits of using a DEXA scan to measure body fat.

What is DEXA and how does it work?

The Densitometer is the same machine used to measure bone density. In recent years, the technology has been used in determining body fat percentage, and is considered the most accurate and precise method of measuring body fat.

Accuracy is important as it provides the true value of the patient’s body fat. With other methods, such as calipers (skinfold measurement), there is a potential for both operator error and error in the formula. There are far fewer errors in accuracy with DEXA.

DEXA allows you to measure change in body fat over time. With other methods of measuring body fat, it’s difficult to show change over time, especially when that change is in small increments. In cases of larger weight loss, it can be difficult to determine if you are pinching fat or excess skin with the caliper test.

DEXA takes approximately 10 to 12 minutes, depending on the patient’s size. During the scan, the patient lies horizontally on a table. The DEXA measures every fat cell in the body, including fat located under the skin and visceral fat, which surrounds the organs. It even takes into consideration essential fats, such as those found in the brain.

Results from the scan provide an A/G ratio (android/gynoid). Android fat is the fat stored in the midsection of the body, primarily in the abdomen, and carries more health risks based on where it’s stored. It is more common among men, and creates the “apple” shape. Gynoid fat is stored primarily in the hips and thighs and is more common among women. This creates the “pear” shape. Gynoid fat is considered a healthier fat, because the fat is not stored in the belly and around organs. Although too much fat anywhere on your body poses some health risks.

Is DEXA safe?

The DEXA scan does use a very small amount of x-ray radiation. The amount of radiation emitted during the scan is so small, radiation shielding is not required. However, because DEXA does involve exposure to radiation, you must have a doctor’s order for the scan.

What amount of body fat is ideal?

A normal body composition percentage depends on gender and age among other factors. Men will typically have lower body fat percentages than women.  It’s also important to note that DEXA percentages are higher than when taken with calipers because the DEXA scan measures every fat cell in your body, including fat in the brain, bone marrow and other organs.  Here’s a breakdown of the Cooper Clinic body fat norms using calipers and Body Fat Densitometry (DEXA scan):

 

Women	% by calipers	% by DEXA
Age 20-29	16-18%	27-29%
Age 30-39	18-20%	29-31%
Age 40-49	18-24%	29-35%
Age 50-59	21-27%	32-38%
Age 60+	22-28%	33-39%

 

Men	% by calipers	% by DEXA
Age 20-29	9-13%	16-20%
Age 30-39	12-17%	19-24%
Age 40-49	15-19%	22-26%
Age 50-59	16-21%	23-28%
Age 60+	16-21%	23-28%

 

If you would like to have your body fat percentage measured as part of a comprehensive Cooper Clinic physical exam, please call 972.560.2667 or visit cooper-clinic.com.

Article provided by Cooper Aerobics Marketing and Communications.