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![]() The accuracy really depends how well-trained the person using them is – for this reason, they can be a little hit and miss. CalipersĬalipers are handheld devices used, quite literally, to pinch and measure your fat in different areas with a calculation that determines your body fat levels. It’s expensive and time-consuming, but also considered one of the most accurate and reliable. You’re plunged into a big tank and scientists measure your fat levels using the Archimedes principle of fluid displacement. You’ll find them at pop up clinics, but again they’re pretty expensive and will demand a couple of hours out of your day.Īlso known as hydrodensitometry or underwater weighing. Known as the 'gold standard' due to its reliability and applicability, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is an X-ray machine designed to measure bone density that doubles up as a neat little body fat percentage scanner. Below, Silverman runs through your options, varying in reliability.įor the best results, take the tests first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, don’t drink water or participate in strenuous exercise beforehand – yes, including running for the bus – and re-test in the exact same conditions every three to four weeks. ![]() These days there are a wealth of different tools you can use to measure your body fat. Unknown // Getty Images How to Measure Body Fat Percentageįirst you need to accurately measure what you’re working with. Whereas the American Council on Exercise ( ACE) recommends for men: So, what is a healthy body fat percentage? Nuffield health recommends for men: Vascular, lean muscle is one thing, a shrink-wrapped human is another. 'The value often cited for healthy men with normal BMIs is 15 per cent,' says Heymsfield. The Royal College of Nursing lists 8-20 per cent for 20-39 year old men, rising to 11-22 per cent if you’re between 40 and 59. 'There are reports of deaths at these levels.' 'Pushing your body fat percentage below five per cent is very risky,' says Heymsfield. We’re certainly not suggesting you go that low. Then there’s the flip side of the coin: the gym-goers who strive to get their score as low as possible, aiming for that worrying point where ripped meets translucent. It’s a stark visual message: if a quarter of your entire body is made of fatty tissue, using this measure, you are classed as obese. For men aged 20-39, a score of above 25 per cent is classed as obese, for gents aged 40-59, it clocks in at above 28 per cent. Knowing your body fat percentage is a good measure of fitness and functionality, says Dr Steven Heymsfield, professor at Pennington Biomedical Research Centre. It is the total mass of fat divided by total body mass, times by 100. ![]() Put simply, your body fat percentage is a measure of the proportion of fat mass in your body. 'It insulates the skin and acts as stored energy for times where the body doesn’t have food in its system.' Which in today’s landscape is practically never. 'It’s the one stored between our skin and muscles which give us that ‘fluffy’ look,' explains Silverman. The less harmful stuff that prevents your abs popping is called subcutaneous fat.
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