Free Body Composition Assessment

The Fitness/Wellness program will be offering FREE body composition assessments using the Futrex Analyzer.  *Appointments may be made for the first week of the month, 8:00a.m. to 5:30p.m. (Times will vary based on availability).

*Appointment Required! Sign up at the weight room desk. 

For more information, ask a weight room instructor.

**Please review the recommendations before arriving to your appointment.

Thank you!

Karen Skoch, Fitness/Wellness Director, kbskoch@truman.edu or 660-785-7739.

Recommendations before arriving for body composition assessment:

1. Wear short sleeved shirt.
2. Make sure you are well hydrated before arriving for your assessment
3. Please know your current HEIGHT & WEIGHT

What does Body Composition mean?

To begin to understand what body composition is we must first recognize that the human body consists of fat and nonfat components. The fat component is termed fat mass or percent body fat. The nonfat component is termed lean body mass.

What are essential and storage fats?

The total fat in the human body is classified into two types: essential fat and storage fat. Essential fat is defined as the fat needed to maintain normal physiological functions. Essential fat is found in such tissues as muscles, nerve cells, bone marrow, intestines, heart, liver, and lungs. This essential fat constitutes about 3% of the total weight in men and 12% in women. The percentage of essential fat is higher in women as it includes sex-specific fat, such as breast tissue, and other sex-related fat deposits.

Storage fat is the fat which is stored in the adipose tissue, mostly beneath the skin (subcutaneous fat) and around the major organs in the body. The storage fat is used as an insulator to retain body heat and as an energy substrate for metabolism. It also serves as a form of protection against physical trauma to the body. Unlike essential fat, there is no real difference in the amount of storage fat between men and women. However, men tend to store fat around the waist while women more so around the hips and thighs.

Assessing Body Composition

We will use the Futrex 5000/XL to assess your percentage of body fat. After your Body Composition Assessment, we will assist you in computing your recommended body weight.

Single Site Measurement -- How Does It Work?

Futrex offers the only method of measuring body fat that uses completely safe, Near-Infrared light to directly measure percent body fat. U.S. Government research located a single point on the human body - the center of the biceps of the dominant arm (the arm used to write) - that has a direct correlation with the body's overall fat level.

During operation, the Futrex Light Wand sends a safe, Near-Infrared light beam into the biceps of the dominant arm at specific wavelengths that fat will absorb and lean mass will reflect. The light absorption is measured to determine body fat -- it's that simple!

Test results, which are traceable to underwater weighing, are instantly shown on the unit's easy-to-read LCD display, and are also printed out for your clients to take with them.

	FUTREX	Under Water Weighing	Skin Fold Calipers	Bio-Electrical Impedance
Need For Fasting	No	Yes - 2 Hours	No	Yes - 4 hours especially caffeinated products Avoid Alcohol for 48 Hours
Need For Disrobing	No	Yes	Yes	Yes - socks or stockings must be removed
Measure After Exercise	Yes	No	No	No - avoid intense exercise 12 hours prior to test
Need For Voiding*	No	Yes - Within 30 minutes of test	No	Yes - Within 30 minutes of test
Accuracy	Excellent	Excellent	Moderate	Excellent, if above criteria is followed
Repeatability	Excellent	Moderate	Depends On Operator	Excellent, if above criteria is followed
Possible Risks	None	None	None	Yes, for those with pacemakers or internal defibrillators; unknown during early pregnancy
*Voiding means emptying the bladder

(Information obtained with permission from http://www.futrex.com/index.html)

NOTE: FUTREX CAUTIONS THE USER AND/OR INDIVIDUAL TESTED TO SEEK THE ADVICE OF A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL PRIOR TO UNDERTAKING ANY NUTRITION AND/OR EXERCISE PROGRAM.

CAUTION:
Truman State University's Student Recreation Center staff STRONGLY recommend that if you are undertaking an exercise program that you see your physician for a complete medical exam, particularly if you have a family history of high blood pressure or heart disease, are over the age of 45, or if you smoke, have high cholesterol, are obese, or have not exercised regularly in the past year. If, at any time while exercising, you feel faint, dizzy, short of breath, or pain, stop immediately.

For more information regarding the Futrex Analyzer: http://www.futrex.com/index.html

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