Human Body Composition

Monitoring FFM alone can obscure meaningful changes in body composition since its composition comprises several components (e.g., water, protein, and minerals) not considered in the assessment.

“However, monitoring FFM alone can obscure meaningful changes in body composition since its composition comprises several components (e.g., water, protein, and minerals) not considered in the assessment [5, 6].”

Potential contributors to inconsistent BOD POD measures include testing conditions, clothing worn in the BOD POD, and excessive facial or body hair.

“Potential contributors to inconsistent measures include testing conditions, clothing worn in the BOD POD, and excessive facial or body hair [50,51].”

Some BIA devices use single-frequency electrical currents, while others implement multi-frequency currents for greater penetration of different tissues and therefore with greater accuracy.

“BIA devices vary in sophistication and features; some use single-frequency electrical currents, while others implement multi-frequency currents for greater penetration of different tissues and therefore with greater accuracy (see Figure 2) [50,51].”

Both CT and MRI provide valid and in-depth body composition information.

“Both CT and MRI provide valid and in-depth body composition information, but these imaging techniques require expensive scanners, certified, trained technicians to perform the scans, analysis software, and expertise to quantify the tissue–organ level components of the produced images.”

CT and MRI have significantly impacted the scientific understanding of body composition and its relation to disease risk and outcome.

“The results from these imaging methods are considered the most accurate means of quantifying body composition at the tissue–organ level and have significantly impacted the scientific understanding of body composition and its relation to disease risk and outcome [51,73].”

HW is a foundational body composition method that was considered the "gold standard" for assessing FM and FFM for decades.

“Hydrostatic weighing (aka underwater weighing, hydrodensitometry) is a foundational body composition method that was considered the “gold standard” for assessing FM and FFM for decades.”

CT exposes the patient to a relatively low-dose of radiation, though greater than DXA.

“Similar to a DXA scan, a CT scan exposes the patient to a relatively low-dose of radiation, though it is greater than that of DXA.”

Results from CT and MRI are considered the most accurate means of quantifying body composition at the tissue-organ level.

“The results from these imaging methods are considered the most accurate means of quantifying body composition at the tissue–organ level and have significantly impacted the scientific understanding of body composition and its relation to disease risk and outcome [51,73].”

HW is based on Archimedes' principle, which states that when a body is immersed in water, it is buoyed by a counterforce equal to the weight of the displaced water.

“HW is based on Archimedes’ principle, which states that when a body is immersed in water, it is buoyed by a counterforce equal to the weight of the displaced water (see Figure 7) [50,51].”

CT and MRI provide cross-sectional images of specific body regions in the form of a plane through the body.

“CT and MRI are imaging techniques that provide cross-sectional images of specific body regions in the form of a plane through the body (see Figure 6) [51,72].”