The MRI is the best to determine the percentage of fat present in the body as well as its location.
Further Explanation:
An MRI is also helpful in determining the fat percentage as it uses a magnetic field which is strong enough to form a detailed image of an internal organ or tissue present inside the body. The image produced is useful in estimating the fat content and also specifies the location of stored fat.
The skin caliper test is performed using about four to seven specific sites in the body for the assessment of fat content. A skin caliper device is used by a technician who pinches a particular skin area and uses the device for measuring the skin fold of that particular site. The areas generally tested involves abdominals, thigh, arm, and chest. The number which appears in the device is put into a formula which then can be used to estimate the total fat percentage in the body. A caliper test is generally not very expensive and easily accessible.
Hydrostatic weighing is another method to measure body fat in which a person is required to sit underwater for quite some time. It is also known as underwater weighing. In this method, a person’s weight underwater as compared to his or her normal body weight. These two weights and the water density are used to accurately measure the patient’s density which then helps in the estimation of body composition. However, it does not tell about where the fat is stored in the body.
BMI or body mass index also helps calculate the fat content in the body depending on a person’s weight and height. It is calculated by taking a ratio of weight to the square of the height of a person. It is generally expressed in the units of kilograms per meter square. A high BMI indicates presence of high percentage of fat.
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Answer Details:
Grade:College Biology
Subject:Biology
Chapter:Body Composition
Keywords:
Body composition, fat percentage, BMI, MRI, hydrostatic weighing, caliper test.