It measures a persons total body density using archimedes principle of displacement. Hydrostatic weighing is the most accurate.
Advanced Body Composition Assessment From Body Mass Index To
Hydrostatic measurement body fat. Another method is waist to hip ratio which gets determined by the use of a measuring tape. Using hydrostatic weighing to measure body fat. Body mass index is away of measuring body fat thats based on height and weight. Your scales at home cannot tell you if your weight lossgain is muscle or fat. Using this principle the hydrostatic body fat testing method is believed to determine the percentage of body fat in an individuals body. It is a direct application of archimedes principle that an object displaces its own volume of water.
The archimedes principle states that the buoyant force placed on a submerged object in this case you is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object. Hydrostatic weighing also referred to as underwater weighing hydrostatic body composition analysis and hydrodensitometry is a technique for measuring the density of a living persons body. By using archimedes principle. Hydrostatic underwater weighing or hydrostatic testing is a method of determining body composition the ratio of body fat to lean mass. However a hydrostatic test can tell you to the ounce what took place with your body during your weight loss. The body fat percentage is a measure of fitness level since it is the only body measurement which directly calculates a persons relative body composition without regard to height or weight.
Hydrostatic body fat testing is also commonly used in research to obtain an accurate measurement of body fat. When you have your body fat measured this way you dont have to do the math yourself. Body fat 495 body density 450 but dont worry. The widely used body mass index bmi provides a measure that allows the comparison of the adiposity of individuals of different heights and weights. Body fat 457 body density 4142 siri formula. How does hydrostatic weighing calculate body fat.
A basic way to measure body fat percentage is by using a soft tape measure like the kind youd use for sewing to record measurements of different parts of the body. Although hydrostatic body fat testing isnt commonly performed on most people some. We obtain your dry weight and wet weight based on buoyancy and are able to scientifically calculate your body fat as a percentage of your total weight. Its one of the oldest methods in the books because its a simple calculation. Why hydrostatic weighing is the best way to measure body fat. Hydrostatic weighing underwater weighing is the most accurate way to calculate body fat that is if you can find a hydrostatic weighing tank.