Body fat testing is important for athletes.

Case Study: Rodney

Rodney is a man who is six feet tall and weighs 202 pounds. His calculated BMI (Body Mass Index) is 27.4, which would describe him as overweight. The BMI is a common measurement of health that considers height and weight, but can’t distinguish between fat and muscle mass.

Rodney visited the Body Composition Center in Redwood City, and had a body composition scan that indicated 9.8% body fat. His lean body composition is not just healthy, but that of an athlete. Rodney’s case is not that unusual, where an alternative to DXA provided misleading information.

Discover for yourself why DXA scans are the gold standard in body composition testing.

There are a variety of instruments available in body composition assessment. However, none of the methods below match DXA scanning technology in their speed, ease, accuracy, or reliability.

BMI | Skinfold Method
BIA | Hydrodensitometry

Why DXA?

A DXA scan is the gold standard in clinical body composition analysis. A total body composition test is fast and easy and relatively inexpensive considering the wealth of accurate, reliable information it yields. Its results have been validated through repeated scientific study and are reproducible.

Results from alternatives to DXA scanning are often misleading, as these measurements are not able to distinguish several factors: gender, age, and obesity or leanness of muscular individuals. Also, other instruments are not able to provide regional body fat values.

Who Benefits?
Body composition testing is important for overall health and for athletic performance. DXA scanning results include lean and fat mass measurements provided in total and by site (arms, legs, trunk).

This information can serve as a tool for athletes whose aim is optimal body composition for the purpose of enhanced athletic performance. Since a DXA scan is reproducible, any future scans will provide accurate fat and lean mass trending information. This is ideal for athletes or individuals in a weight management program who would like to gauge their progress or simply measure their body fat.