BODY FAT LEVEL: Do You Know Yours

Body fat level

Body fat often gets a bad rap but it does serve an important purpose for our bodys.

Everyone needs some fat to live and function but when too much body fat accumulates, it can lead to many health problems like obesity and obesity-related diseases, like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It's not just the amount of fat that's the problem, where it is on the body that matters too. Fat around the abdomen is linked to even higher risks of diabetes, heart and circulatory disease and cancer. For this reason we should find out our body fat level

The main types of body fat are white, brown, and beige cells.

• White fat is the type of fat that is made up of large, white cells that are stored under the skin or around the organs in the lower back, belly, arms, buttocks, and thighs. These fat cells are the body’s way of storing energy for later use. Some white fat is necessary for good health, but too much is very harmful. This type of fat also plays a large role in the function of hormones such as estragon, leptin, insulin, cortisol and growth hormone.

• Brown fat is a type of fat primarily found in babies, although adults do still retain a very small amount of brown fat, typically in the neck and shoulders. Brown fat, also called brown adipose tissue, is a special type of body fat that is turned on when you get cold. Brown fat produces heat to help maintain your body temperature in cold conditions.

• Beige fat cells function somewhere between brown and white fat cells. Similarly, to brown fat, beige cells can help burn fat rather than store it. It’s believed that certain hormones and enzymes released when you’re stressed, cold, or when you exercise can help convert white fat into beige fat.

The white, brown, and beige cells can be stored on the body as essential, subcutaneous, or visceral fat.

• Subcutaneous fat refers to the fat stored under the skin and has a combination of brown, beige, and white fat cells. Subcutaneous is the fat that you can squeeze or pinch on your arms, belly, thighs, and buttocks. A certain amount of subcutaneous fat is normal and healthy, but too much can lead to imbalanced hormone levels and sensitivity.

• Visceral fat is the white fat that’s stored in your abdomen and around all of your major organs, such as the liver, kidneys, pancreas, intestines, and heart. High amounts visceral fat levels can increase your risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, artery disease, and some cancers.

• Essential fat is essential for your life and a healthy body. This fat is found in your brain, bones, nerves and membranes that protect your organs. Essential fat plays a major role in hormone regulation, including the hormones that control fertility, vitamin absorption, and temperature regulation. There are two categories of essential fatty acids which are omega-3 and omega-6. Foods rich in omega 3 and 6 are fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and trout. Eggs and flaxseeds and flaxseed oil.

Women will have a higher body fat and essential body fat percentages relative to men for any given level of fitness. This difference is attributed to physiological differences, such as hormones, ovulation and childbearing. The percentage of essential fat is 4–5% in men, and 10–13% in women.

Figuring out how much body fat you have isn’t necessarily as easy as looking in a mirror or stepping on a scale. A bodybuilder and an obese person may be the same weight, but they have very different body fat percentages. Your weight alone cannot tell you much muscle or fat you have. Instead, you’ll need to determine your body fat percentage.

Your body fat percentage can indicate whether you fall within the "LEAN", "IDEAL", "AVERAGE", or "ABOVE AVERAGE" zone.

So, how exactly do you measure body fat? There are numerous methods, some better than others:

Skinfold measurements using skin callipers

Skinfold calipers measure the thickness of your subcutaneous fat which is the fat underneath the skin at certain body locations. Calipers are the cheapest, easiest and most portable method to measure body fat in specific areas. Using at least three spots on your body which commonly are chest, abs and thigh often used, you will pinch the skin, pulling the muscle away from the fat and measure the fold with the calipers.

It is recommended to take the average of two measurements at each place. You then put those numbers into an online calculator which will give you your body fat percentage.

However in practice it is more useful to use the measurements as a way to monitor body fat over time, rather than having to calculate your percent body fat each time. If your skinfold thickness is going down, then you are probably losing fat.

The plus side to using Calipers is that they are the cheapest, easiest and most portable method to measure body fat in specific areas. You can pick up a set of calipers for £5-£10 online.

Bio impedance “smart scales”

Smart scales don't just give your weight, but also a host of body composition stats including your body fat percentage. They can look like normal scales with foot plates, or have additional hand plates. They work by sending tiny electrical impulses through the body and measuring how quickly they return. This works because the current flows more easily through the parts of the body that are mostly made up of water, such as muscle and blood, than through fat or bone.

The plus side is they are simple and quick with the measurement taken as easily as standing on scales. The percentage of body fat is given instantly. Some will also connect to a fitness app so you can track your progress. Some are relatively inexpensive (£15-50), but some models can be pricey.

Weight scales

This is a measure of your overall body mass including bones, blood, organs and fat. For it to be accurate then you need reliable scales. If you’re tracking your weight over time, weigh yourself at the same time of day, under the same conditions and on the same scales. In the morning, after emptying your bladder, is a good time. The plus side to weighing scales is that they are quick and easy with minimal cost. The down side to this method is It only measures total body weight and it doesn’t take into account changes in body fat or muscle. Also it doesn’t tell you where the fat is.

BMI- BODY MASS INDEX

BMI is used to work out if you are a healthy weight and it is calculated by taking a person’s weight in kg and dividing it by their height squared. The higher the figure, the more overweight you are and the greater your health risks.

The plus side is it's quick and easy and has minimal cost. Also there is a clear correlation between higher BMI and negative health consequences so this does work. For a reliable BMI you need reliable scales and you’ll need a tape measure for height.

The down side to the BMI method is It can’t differentiate between fat and lean muscle weight. It isn’t very accurate for people who are elderly, pregnant, or very muscular.

Waist circumference measuring tape

This is a measurement of your waist to check if you are carrying too much fat around your abdomen (belly). You can have a healthy BMI and still have excess abdominal fat, meaning you are still at risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke. All you need is a tape measure and It’s a good way to measure fat around your abdomen. The down side to this is the measurements of excess body fat is not a precise measurement of body composition.

Hydrostatic weighing (underwater weighing)

Underwater weighing measures your density, which is then used to estimate body fat. Fat is less dense than bone and muscle, so a person with a higher percentage of fat will weigh less underwater, relative to the amount of water they displace, and be more buoyant. You will need to sit on an underwater mounted chair and scale. Once you have expelled all the air from your lungs, you will be lowered into a tank of water until fully submerged and remain motionless while the underwater weight is measured.

The plus side is that it is a very accurate technique and consistent results means that it is a reliable method to measure progress.

The downside is that most tanks are located at universities or research institutions and may not be open to the public. At around £40 a go, it’s not cheap. It needs considerable commitment, as it requires you to be fully submerged for 5-7 seconds and repeated 2-3 times, so it’s not suitable for the elderly or children. This method is also not the best for assessing athletes, as they have denser bones. It does not identify the exact parts of the body where the fat is located. It is less common since the introduction of air displacement assessment, which is easier to do.

Air displacement - Bod Pod

The Bod Pod technology is similar to underwater weighing but uses air instead of water. You are weighed before sitting in a small pod machine. By measuring how much air is displaced whilst in the pod, body density is measured from which body fat can be calculated.

The plus side is it's safe, non-invasive and fast. It is very accurate with excellent reliability for repeat tests. Unlike underwater weighing, the Bod Pod does not require getting wet. The pod accommodates people of any age, shape and size and is accurate for groups including children, obese, elderly, and disabled people.

The down side is It is unlikely to be found in your local gym, mainly in research and academic institutions. It can be costly - from £40-60. Some people may find it claustrophobic. The test also does not identify the exact parts of the body where the fat is located.

DEXA (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry)

DEXA is more commonly used to assess bone density, but can also be used to measure body composition. You lie still on a table while a machine arm passes over your entire body, which emits a high- and a low-energy X-ray beam. It is considered the gold standard for measuring body composition. By measuring the absorption of each beam into parts of the body, technicians can get readings for bone mineral density, lean body mass and fat mass.

This method is safe, precise, reliable and quick - around 4 minutes. It is considered the gold standard for measuring body composition. It tells you not just how much fat you’re carrying, but how it’s distributed around your body.

The downside is that the high level of accuracy comes with a price tag. One scan can cost more than £100.

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When people talk about wanting to lose weight, usually what they're really talking about is losing body fat level. Ideally, when you lose weight, you'll lose as much fat as possible, and as little lean mass as possible. It can actually be good for you to gain weight in the form of lean muscle, since having more muscle actually helps you burn fat. So a more accurate and practical goal than just losing weight would be instead to lower your body fat percentage, also known as changing your body composition. When you lower your body fat percentage, you'll end up looking more fit, whether you got there by losing fat, gaining muscle, or a combination of both. For most people, the goal is to have a better looking and healthier body, so keeping track of the fat will be important.