Script NDT Lab

SCRIPT NDT LAB
How to measure the body fat?

2 Methods
1. Underwater weighing
 Is available only in large facilities eg. hospital
2. Skin fold caliper measurement
 Easy to use
 Reasonably Accurate
 Can be used at home
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1. Underwater Weighing
 Also known as hydrostatic weighing or hydro densitometry it is a method of calculating fat
percentage based off body density. This is based on the Archimedes’ principle. This principle
states that the amount of liquid a submerged object displaces is equivalent to the volume of the
object.
 By measuring your weight on land and your weight underwater, test administrator can calculate
the body’s density.
 Which it was considered as one of the most accurate ways to measure the body fat. It was
considered as the gold standard for measuring body composition until more advanced methods
such as CT scans and MRI scans were developed.
 During the test, you have your body weight measured on land and underwater. The difference
between these two measurements which allows to test the administrator to calculate the body
density and body fat percentage.
 The hydrostatic weighing is mostly performed on athletes, in research or in other situations and
takes place in specialty designated pools and/or water tanks.
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Equipment Required
 Hydrostatic stainless steel weighing tank (underwater mountain chair and scale, weighted belt and
nose clip)
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How does underwater weighing work?

1. Before the underwater weighing takes place, the individual being measured will be weighed
outside the water.
2. Then wearing the bathing suit, the individual will enter the pool or tank and sit in a chair that is
submerged in the water.
3. The chair will either be lowered further into the water or the individual will be asked to lower
their head into the water until their entire body is submerged.
4. Once submerge the individual exhales as much air from their lungs as possible by blowing
bubbles.
5. The test administrator records the weight when no more air bubbles appear in the water and the
individual can then resurface.
6. The test is typically repeated several times and the average of the weights used to minimize
errors.
7. The recorded weight will be plugged into equations that account for any leftover air in the lungs
and gastrointestinal tract to calculate body density in water and total body fat percentage.
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How accurate are the results?

 Rate of error for underwater weighing is estimated 1-3%
 Gold standard
What are the optimal testing conditions?

 The individual should be comfortable getting in and out of a pool and/or tank of water while
wearing minimal clothing, such as a bathing suit.
Prons of Underwater weighing

 Underwater weighing is highly accurate with one of the lowest margins of error.
 The entire test can only take or performed with 15 minutes
 The test is safe and doesn’t have any side effects
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Cons of the Underwater Weighing

 It is not ideal choice for everyone
 The equipment isn’t widely available
 It is expensive for everyone
Measuring Body Fat using Jackson Pollock Formula

 The Jackson-Pollock formula is a commonly used and validated method that uses skinfold
measurements to predict body fat.
 There is an equation for men and women and two variations to the method which involve either
taking 7 measurement readings or 3.
 Using the 7 site measurement method in the example below
Notes:
 The formula above is the 7-site Jackson Pollock method because it involves taking 7 different
body measurements that are then entered into the formula.
 There is also 4-site and 3-site Jackson Pollock methods which require fewer measurements (but
are less accurate as a result). The measurement points for these methods are shown below;
 Jackson Pollock 3
Women: Site Method- Triceps, Thigh and Suprailiac
Equation to calculate the Body fat percentage:
 Body Density = 1.0994921 – (0.0009929 x sum of skinfolds) + (0.0000023 x
square of the sum of skinfolds) – (0.0001392 x age)
 Body Fat Percentage = (495 / Body Density) – 450
Men: Site Method- Pectoral, Abdominal and Thigh

 Body Density = 1.10938 – (0.0008267 x sum of skinfolds) + (0.0000016 x square
of the sum of skinfolds) – (0.0002574 x age)
 Jackson Pollock 4
Women: Site Method-Triceps, Thigh, Suprailiac, and Abdominal
 Body Density = (0.29669 x sum of skinfolds) – (0.00043 x square of the sum of
skinfolds) + (0.02963 x age) + 1.4072
Men: Site Method: Thigh, Triceps, Suprailiac, and Abdominal
 Body Density = (0.29288 x sum of skinfolds) – (0.0005 x square of the sum of
skinfolds) + (0.15845 x age) – 5.76377

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SCRIPT NDT LAB

How to measure the body fat?

How does underwater weighing work?

How accurate are the results?

What are the optimal testing conditions?

Prons of Underwater weighing

Cons of the Underwater Weighing

Measuring Body Fat using Jackson Pollock Formula

Men: Site Method- Pectoral, Abdominal and Thigh

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