How to understand your personal body composition?

Let’s talk today about the modern technologies, which promote the greatest result and deliver us the knowledge about our body composition.

From the nutritionist point of view, I would like to discuss the history and the origin of bioimpedance technology for measuring body composition, as well as what this technology is and which key categories this analysis includes.
What BIA means.

Bioimpedance analysis (BIA) is a method of assessing body composition that measures the resistance of body tissues to an electrical current. The technique was first developed in the 1950s by Nyboer and Kark.They developed a method for measuring the resistance of biological tissues using electrical currents. Later, in the 1960s and 1970s, researchers like Hoffer, Lukaski, and Kushner refined the technique and applied it to the measurement of body composition.

Modern technologies.

Today, BIA is a widely used technique in research and clinical settings to assess body composition, including body fat percentage, muscle mass, and fluid levels. It is a non-invasive, quick method of assessing body composition.

There are several key categories of BIA analysis that are used to assess body composition:

Total body water (TBW) analysis: This method measures the total amount of water in the body, which can be used to estimate body fat percentage and lean body mass. Also it can predict water deficiency in organizm.

Segmental analysis: This method divides the body into segments, such as the arms, legs, and measures the resistance of each segment to an electrical current. This can provide information about the distribution of muscle mass and body fat in different parts of the body, what can help in composing of personal training plan.

Phase angle analysis: This method measures the relationship between the resistance and reactance of body tissues, which can provide information about cell membrane integrity and nutritional status.

In addition to measuring body fat percentage and muscle mass, bioimpedance analysis (BIA) can also be used to measure visceral fat. Visceral fat is the fat that surrounds the internal organs in the abdominal cavity and is associated with an increased risk of several health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. BIA can provide an estimate of visceral fat by measuring the impedance of the abdomen at a specific frequency. This method is known as the bioimpedance analysis of visceral fat (BIVA).

In summary, BIA is a versatile tool that can be used to assess various aspects of body composition, including body fat percentage, muscle mass, total body water, and visceral fat. BIA provides a quick, non-invasive, and relatively low-cost method of assessing body composition that is widely used in research and clinical settings.