How to Measure Body Density
- 1). Consider the thickness of your gut when choosing body-density measurement method. While skin-fold tests using calipers work great and will give you accurate results when done correctly, heavy individuals will find it useless because the calipers won't fit their skin folds. Like the name suggests, skin-fold testing involves measuring skin folds of three to seven sites on your body. You will then put the skin-fold test results through a formula to calculate your body density.
- 2). Measure your body density using the DEXA scan if you are very heavy and can afford it. While it may end up costing you a few hundred dollars, "[DEXA scans] are the gold standard," according to David Freedman, Ph.D., an epidemiologist in the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Ga.
- 3). Use bioelectrical impedance analysis if you cannot afford the DEXA scan. Most health clubs use this quick, cheap and user-friendly method today. You will stand on a special scale or hold onto electrodes, which allow small electric signals to go through your body to compute the composition of body fat and muscle mass. As this method relies heavily on your body's hydration levels, ensure that you don't have a hangover the day of the test or that you're not close to your period for most accurate results.
- 4). Avoid using the Body Mass Index method (BMI) to determine your body density. "[BMI] uses a ratio of weight to height to estimate body fat and obesity," according to CNN.com. This method grossly overestimates the body fat levels of very muscular people and often underestimates it, particularly in the elderly.
