Body composition analysis is the measurement and evaluation of the individual components that make up the human body, and it is an integral part of a person’s nutritional assessment. Studying body composition is a reliable tool for designing the most appropriate personalised nutrition plan, adapted to your goals and needs — whether weight loss, muscle gain, improved fitness or overall health support. Body composition analysis is also particularly useful for tracking progress during a nutrition programme. With repeat measurements we can evaluate changes in your body accurately and adjust the nutrition plan whenever needed.
The advanced Tanita BC-613S body composition analyser uses bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) with 8 electrodes. The method is based on passing a very low-intensity electrical current through the body, which is not perceptible to the person being measured. Different body tissues, such as muscle and adipose tissue, present different resistance to the current. Based on this difference the device can calculate, segmentally, body weight, body fat percentage, muscle mass, bone mass, body mass index (BMI), daily energy intake, metabolic age and total body water.
The procedure is simple, non-invasive and takes only a few seconds. For the measurement to be accurate, the person being measured should:
- Have fasted for 3 hours before the measurement
- Not have exercised on the day of the measurement, as this affects total body water
- Not have consumed alcohol in the previous 24 hours, as this affects body hydration
- Have urinated beforehand
- Wear light clothing, ideally similar each time the measurement is repeated