Module 5: Body

Composition and Body Fat

Percentage
Defining Body Composition
• Body composition is combination of fat and tissues in your body. The
body is made up of two kinds of fat: body fat and storage body fat.
• Your body fat can be found in muscle tissue, under the skin or round
the organ.
• Not all of the fats are bad for your body, such as essential body fat,
which helps shield internal organs, stocks fuel for energy, and controls
important body hormones.
• Storage body fat, also known as lean tissue, includes bone, water,
muscle, organ, and tissue. Lean tissues are “metabolically active,
burning calories for energy, while body fat is not.” (Scott, 2018)
Importance of Body Composition
Body composition is used in health and fitness to
characterize the percentage of fat, bone, and muscle in human
bodies. The body fat percentage is of particular relevance because it
can be quite useful in determining health. Because muscle tissue is
thicker than fat tissue, analyzing one’s body fat is vital to evaluate
one’s overall body composition, especially when making health
recommendations. Because of differences in body composition,
especially when the same height and weight may have distinct health
difficulties.
Factors Affecting Body Composition

The following factors can influence your body

composition: (1) age (humans lose muscle mass as they
age); (2) sex (women have more body fat than men); (3)
genes (play a role in whether you are biologically lean or
have a tendency to gain fat); and (4) hormones (can impact
on water retention and body composition)
Defining Body Fat Percentage
The Body Fat Percentage (BFP) is a body
composition indicator that reflects how much bodyweight is
fat. The percentage of the body that is not fat is called lean
mass. The Body Fat Percentage (BFP) can be measured by
computing the “total mass of fat divided by total body mass,
multiplied by 100. (“Body Fat Percentage – Wikipedia”,
2020)

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) provides

these ranges of body fat percentage values for both men and
women:
 Body Fat Percent Norms for Men and Women
Description WOMEN MEN

Essential Fat 10% to 13% 2% to 5%

Athletes 14% to 20% 6% to 13%

Fitness 21% to 24% 14% to 17%

Acceptable 25% to 31% 18% to 24%

Obese Over 32% Over 25%

Methods of Measuring Body Fat Percentage (BFP)
A number of methods for measuring body fat percentages are
available, such as skinfold calculation, bioelectric impedance,
hydrostatic weighing, and DEXA scan. Skinfold measurement is
both accurate and practical for measuring body fat. Calipers are used
to measure the thickness of skinfolds in millimeters in areas where fat
typically accumulates (abdomen, hip, arm, back, and thigh).
Following the completion of the measurements, the data is entered
into an equation that calculates body fat percentage or body lean mass.
When measurements are obtained correctly, the skinfold test has a 3%
margin of error in predicting body fat. Skinfold is a preferred method
of measuring body fat in non – clinical settings since it is simple to
use, has established accuracy, and is not intrusive to the patient.
Body Mass Index
Body mass index (BMI) is a value derived from the mass (weight) and
height of a person. The BMI is defined as the body mass divided by the square
of the body height, and is universally expressed in units of kg/m2, resulting
from mass in kilograms and height in meters. (“Body Mass Index –
Wikipedia”, 2020) BMI is sometimes misunderstood as a measured indicator of
body fat. BMI is just a weight-to-height ratio. It is a method for determining
adult weight status and general health in big populations BMI has a weak
correlation with body fat, but when combined with a body fat measurement, it
provides a fairly accurate picture of your current weight status. Having said
that, having a BMI greater than 30 increases your chance of acquiring long-
term and disabling illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, gallstones, stroke,
osteoarthritis, and several types of cancer. BMI normally falls into one of the
above categories in persons over the age of 20.
A Word About Calories

A calorie is the energy needed to raise the temperature of 1

kilogram of water through 1 °C, equal to one thousand small calories
and often used to measure the energy value of foods (“Calorie –
Oxford Dictionary”, 2020). The amount of energy in the foods and
beverages you eat and drink is measured by your calorie intake.
Calories are really not necessarily bad for you. You only have to take
them in moderation. Your body requires calorie-based do not burn
enough calorie through physical activity.