Body Fat %

[Big $teve]

Hello,

Went to a buddies hospital that has a body fat percentage machine today. Was guessing maybe around 6% or so. I weighed in at 144lbs with 3.4% body fat.

That is quite low, curious if anyone else on here knows theirs?

Steven

[DutchDynamite]

Hello,

Went to a buddies hospital that has a body fat percentage machine today. Was guessing maybe around 6% or so. I weighed in at 144lbs with 3.4% body fat.

That is quite low, curious if anyone else on here knows theirs?

Steven

That is VERY LOW

you must be young and very thin, or super muscular because only body builders in competition have a body fat % that low, most professional athletes are between 8-12%.

[Big $teve]

I'm 17, not that muscular in my opinion but thats just me.

Steven

[sterling]

i have no idea how do u check it out?

[Big $teve]

I used a machine at the Nutrition center in Hospital where you stand on it barefoot and it gives you a slip of paper. I was told there are also handheld version that are not as accurate but still good.

Steven

[Sven72]

I always thought body fat was measured with calipers in skinfold tests or with dual energy xrays. Never heard of anything you just step on like that. How long did the process take?

[JayCoe]

Using any body measurment by itself is usually useless.

For a male:

As a rule of thumb, if it's below 5% then you need to seek medical attention, professional athletes sometimes being able to play with the barriers for a short period of time. Take for example an anorexic (not the extreme ones though), if we were to look at their body fat % it would be quite low, about 5% say. However, compare this to say, Mike Tyson, his body fat % was around the same come fight night. Does that mean the anorexic is the same build or as healthy as Mike Tyson?...Of course not. A BMI is also a useless measurment by its self as it doesn't take muscle weight into account, however, if you combine your BMI and Body fat % you can find a more accruate result. If your BMI is above 18 and your body fat % is low then that is usually quite good because it means you're of normal weight with a low fat % meaning you're making the weight with muscle. If your BMI is 15/16-18 you need to gain weight if it's below 15/16 you really do need medical attention. You can find BMI calculators on the net in a second, just go to google type in BMI calculator, find one which enables you to put in that you're male as this is actually important but many calculators don't put it in. All you need is your height, age, gender and weight. So, how good your body fat % is relies on your weight.

With your weight as you say it is, 144lb, if you're 6ft 0" then your BMI would be 19.5 which is low but within the 'healthy zone' (18.5-24.9). If you're shorter then your BMI would be higher which is quite good as it means you've got a more healthy BMI with a low body fat.

As a side note from this all, whether you're muscular or just slim, a body fat % such as yours is quite low. Even if you're an athlete, it's work raising it a 1% or so. Just a little safer.



For a female:

Seek medical attention. A woman's body fat % should not reach such levels.

I always thought body fat was measured with calipers in skinfold tests or with dual energy xrays. Never heard of anything you just step on like that. How long did the process take?

It's called Biometrical Impedance Analysis (B.I.A). They are very common nowadays and actually do work. In fact, when buying home body scales you can often find them included. I don't have very fancy scales and a body fat % calculator is on mine and the process is actually accruate. You go bare foot, stand on the scales and it will send electric pulses through your feet up your body. The current travels slower through fat and when compared with your height and weight it can tell you your % accruateltly. It doesn't take long at all.

[Salty]

i got told they aren't accurate at measuring your actual BF% but rather changes in your body fat over a period of time. I thought the only accurate method was one of those water tanks.

[Fidayin]

does things are not acurate. the electric pulses don't travel through your body , it only travels through ur legs. only real way to measure ur bodyfat is with a caliper.

[Sven72]

It's called Biometrical Impedance Analysis (B.I.A). They are very common nowadays and actually do work. In fact, when buying home body scales you can often find them included. I don't have very fancy scales and a body fat % calculator is on mine and the process is actually accruate. You go bare foot, stand on the scales and it will send electric pulses through your feet up your body. The current travels slower through fat and when compared with your height and weight it can tell you your % accruateltly. It doesn't take long at all.

Cool, I've seen those scales, you're talking about now i think about it. Thought they were just a gimmick. Interesting that they can provide fairly accurate readings. Might have to buy some