Body composition refers to the relative amount of fat to other non-fat tissues or lean tissues like muscle, bones etc. An ideal composition would result in the individual being healthier and finding themselves, able to move more freely and efficiently. Achieving the Ideal body composition can go a long way in contributing to a person’s overall wellness.

and regulates hormones that perform various functions in body regulation. Any amount of body fat beyond this limit is considered excessive and mostly unhealthy.

Body composition (particularly body fat percentage) can be measured in several ways. The most common method is by using a set of measurement calipers. This technique uses a pair of calipers to measure the thickness of subcutaneous fat in multiple places on the body like the abdominal area, the sub-scapular region, arms, buttocks and thighs. These measurements are then used to calculate the total body fat with a meager margin of error (approximately four percentage points).

Another method is bio-electrical impedance analysis (BIA). This method uses the resistance of electrical flow through the body to estimate body fat.

Buoyancy test: This technique for measuring body composition has been developed using the same principles as under water weighing. The technique uses air, as opposed to water and is scientifically known as air displacement plethysmography (ADP). Subjects enter a sealed chamber that measures their body volume through the displacement of air in the chamber. Body volume is combined with body weight (mass) in order to determine body density. The technique then estimates the percentage of body fat and lean body mass (LBM) through known equations (for the density of fat and fat free mass).