Indicators of Health Indicators of Health Body Mass

Indicators of Health

Indicators of Health ● Body Mass measurement ● Urinalysis ● Stool sample

Ways to evaluate Body Mass ● ● Body Mass Index (BMI) waist-to-hip ratio skinfold measurements Bod Pod

BMI Commonly used index representing the ratio of a person’s body weight to the square of his or height. For imperial, Formula: weight (lb) / [height (in)]2 x 703 For Metric, Formula: weight (kg)/[height (cm)]2

Waist-to-Hip ratio To measure the waist take the measurement an inch above the navel. To measure the hip take the measurement at the widest part of the buttocks. the waist measurement is divided by the hip measurement. People with more weight around their waist are at greater risk of lifestyle related diseases such as heart disease and diabetes than those with weight around their hips.

Skinfold measurements This test estimates the percentage of body fat by measuring skinfold thickness at specific locations on the body. The thickness of these folds is a measure of the fat under the skin. Skinfold measurements are generally taken at specific sites on the right side of the body. The tester pinches the skin at the location site and pulls the fold of skin away from the underlying muscle so only the skin and fat tissue is being held. Special skinfold calipers are then used to measure the skinfold thickness in millimeters.

Skinfold Measurements The measurement sites vary depending upon the specific skinfold testing protocol being used, but typically include the following seven locations on the body: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Triceps - The back of the upper arm Pectoral - The mid-chest, just forward of the armpit Subscapula - Beneath the edge of the shoulder blade Midaxilla - Midline of the side of the torso Abdomen - Next to the belly button Suprailiac - Just above the iliac crest of the hip bone Quadriceps - Middle of the upper thigh

Bod Pod See article titled How Does the Bod Pod work?