BODY COMPOSITION / WEIGHT

MANAGEMENT
Fitness Professionals Handbook – Ch. 8 and 12
FAT DISTRIBUTION
• Android

• Gynoid
• Pear shape
• Fat is stored in hips and thighs
• More typical in females
BODY COMPOSITION ASSESSMENT

• Anthropometric

• Densitometry
• Hydrostatic weighing
• Air displacement plethysmography
• Other
 BODY COMPOSITION ASSESSMENT (P. 166)

• Waist-to-hip (WHR) ratios – Waist

divided by hips
• Very high risk
• ≥0.95 men
• ≥0.86 women
• ≥1.03 men, 60 to 69 years of age
• ≥0.9 women, 60 to 69 years of age
• Waist circumference (WC)
• See Table 4.3 (ACSM Guidelines)
DETERMINING ANDROID FAT PATTERN
 BODY MASS INDEX (BMI, KG/M 2)
CLASSIFICATIONS (P. 165)

• Underweight • Obesity class I

• <18.5 • 30 to 34.9
• Normal • Obesity class II
• 18.5 to 24.9 • 35 to 39.9
• Overweight • Obesity class III
• 25 to 29.9 • ≥40
SEX- AND AGE-SPECIFIC BMI: YOUNG CHILDREN
THROUGH TEENS

• Underweight

• Healthy weight

• Overweight

• Obese
• ≥95th percentile
CIRCUMFERENCES / GIRTH MEASURES (P. 166)
• Waist – Narrowest part of waist below xyphoid and above umbilicus
• Hips – Maximal Girth of hips or buttocks
• Thigh – Maximal girth of thigh
• Calf – Maximal girth between knee and ankle
• Arm – In anatomical position, midway between olecranon and acromion processes
• Forearm – In anatomical position, maximal girth of forearm
BODY COMPOSITION NORMS
 BODY COMPOSITION ASSESSMENT (P. 166-171)

• Skinfold Measurements

• Body density is converted to percent body fat using population-

specific formulas
• Greater accuracy with 3+ sites

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 SKINFOLD MEASUREMENT PROCEDURES

• Measure on right side of body

• Measure and mark with flexible tape & felt pen
• Place caliper: 1 cm from thumb & forefinger perpendicular to skinfold
mid b/w crest and base of fold
• Maintain pinch & read caliper after 1-2 secs
• Take duplicate measures and repeat until measures are within 1-2
mm (average the two)
• Rotate through sites or allow skin to rebound
• Sum skinfold measures and determine body density using skinfold
equations (P. 169), or tables (Table 8.5 and 8.6)

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SKINFOLD SITES
 BODY COMPOSITION ASSESSMENT (P. 172-174)
• Hydrostatic (Underwater) Weighing
• Based on density differences between fat mass and fat free mass
• Involves submerging individuals underH2O
• Leaner individual weigh more underwater than fatter individuals of
the same weight
• Hydrostatic equations use weight in H2O to estimate body density
• Body density is converted to percent body fat using population-
specific formulas
• Viewed as “gold standard” until recently

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UNDERWATER WEIGHING

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BODY COMPOSITION ASSESSMENT (P.174)
• Plethysmography (Bod Pod)

• Advantages over hydrostatic weighing

• Less time consuming
• Generally, less anxiety for the client
BOD POD (PLETHYSMOGRAPHY)
BODY COMPOSITION ASSESSMENT (P. 174-175)

• Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA)

• Uses low-level electrical current
• Water and electrolyte content of lean tissue will facilitate flow
of current.
• Adipose tissue will oppose flow of current

• Highly dependent on hydration status

Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA)
BIOELECTRICAL IMPEDANCE (BIA)
BODY COMPOSITION ASSESSMENT (P. 174)

• Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA)

• Based on

• Most clinics use to measure bone mineral density

• Becoming the new “gold standard” (expensive as all hell)

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DEXA
BODY COMPOSITION ASSESSMENT

• Near-Infrared Interactance (NIR)

• Primarily marketed as Futrex brand
• Based on principles of light absorption, light
reflection, and spectroscopy
• Utilizes a light wand that measures amount
of light emitted and reflected
• Fat tissue absorbs light and lean tissue
reflects light
• No consensus on validity or accuracy

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 MEASUREMENT COMPARISON OF COMMON
BODY COMP TECHNIQUES
Cost Use Accuracy
• BMI • low easy low
• Skinfold • low moderate moderate
• UnderH20 • moderate difficult high
• Plethysmograph • high easy high
• BIA • moderate easy moderate
• DEXA • high easy high
• NIR • moderate easy moderate

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ESTABLISHING A HEALTHY BODY WEIGHT GOAL
• A “healthy body weight” is typically determined by body mass index
(BMI).
• BMI = Weight x Height -2
• BMI is a good indicator for determining the prevalence of overweight and
obesity in a large population, rather than for determining body
composition in an individual.
• Target body weight = Target BMI x height in meters²

• Target body weight = 23 x 1.70² = 66.5 kg (146 pounds)

• Weight loss = 24 pounds
• Weight loss = 14% (24 ÷ 170)
GUIDELINES FOR PROPER WEIGHT LOSS
• The 2009 American College of Sports Medicine position stand on
weight loss

• Combination of decrease energy intake and increased energy

expenditure emphasized with a recommended energy deficit of 500–
1,000 kcal · d –1

• Although health benefits can be attained with a minimum of 150 min

(2.5h) of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise/week, individuals who are
overweight and obese may better maintain weight loss if they gradually
increase exercise to 200 – 300 min (3.3 – 5 hours) of exercise per week

• Weight loss should be 1-2 lbs per week, approximately

• Resistance training was encouraged to increase strength and function,

and also maintain or increase lean body mass.
CALCULATING DAILY ENERGY NEEDS (P. 248)
• Formulas exist to establish an estimate of daily caloric need
• Equations are based on these factors:
• RMR is proportional to body size
• RMR decreases with age
• Muscle is more metabolically active than fat
• Additional equations exist when FFM is known
• Why is an individual’s sex unimportant in an equation such as this?

RMR (kcal · day−1) = 370 + (21.6 · fat-free mass in kg)

EXERCISE PRESCRIPTION FOR
WEIGHT MANAGEMENT (P. 250)

• Type: Aerobic to target large

muscle groups and facilitate
caloric deficit, resistance training
to help maintain fat-free mass
THE MACRONUTRIENTS AND MICRONUTRIENTS
• Consuming a proper balance of
energy sources, macronutrients,
and micronutrients (vitamins and
minerals) is very important.
• Carbohydrate typically should be
45%-65% of total calorie intake
• Mostly whole grain products
• Protein is typically 0.8g/kg body
weight per day
• Fat intake, should be 20%-35% of
total daily caloric intake

• Vitamin and minerals are required

for MANY functions in the body.
INAPPROPRIATE WEIGHT LOSS METHODS

• There are many weight loss plans

promoted that are not considered
clinically or scientifically sound.
• Examples include:
• Restricting or promoting a
certain food
• Various methods of body water
loss (e.g., rubber suits)
• Various over the counter pills
and solutions
 VARIOUS WEIGHT LOSS METHODS
• It is clear that energy balance is the
key to weight maintenance!

• Low-carbohydrate/high-fat and high-

protein diet (e.g., Atkins, South Beach)
• Short term, significant weight loss
• Long term, related to increased
total mortality

• High-carbohydrate/low-fat diet (e.g.

Ornish)

• Low-glycemic load diet

VARIOUS WEIGHT LOSS METHODS
• Balanced Weight loss diets
(Weight Watchers)
• Reduced in calories yet, supply all
essential nutrients
• Mediterranean diet
• Very-low-calorie diet (VLCD or
protein-sparing modified fast)
• Highly engineered powdered
supplements that are rich in protein
• Very aggressive diet of 500–800 kcal
· d–1
• Physician monitored
• Slower weight loss seems to be
more beneficial to improve body
composition as well as metabolic
risk factors..
THE END