Body
Composition
and Weight
Control
Labette Community College
PE 116
Definitions
• Body composition: Proportion of fat,
muscle, bone, and other tissues in the
body
• Essential fat: Minimum amount of body
fat needed for good health
• Storage fat: Fat deposited in adipose
tissue (fat cells) that protects organs
and insulates body
Desirable Amounts
of Essential Fat
• Adult women: 3% to 4% of total body weight
• Adult men: 3% to 4% of total body weight
• Sex Specific Fat: 10% women only (13-14%)
Determining Healthy
Body Composition
• Assessing body weight
– Bathroom scale
– Height weight table
– Body mass index (BMI)
– Anthropometric tape measure
• Waist- Hip Ratio
• Military ?
Height – Weight Table
Determining Healthy Body
Composition & BW
• Assessing body fatness (FW vs LBW)
– Skinfold measurements “pinch technique”
– BIA (bioelectrical impedance analysis)
– Hydrostatic underwater weight (research)
– Air displacement (Bod Pod)
– Infrared Interactance (light absorption)
– “La’ Mirror” Test (France)
Body Mass Index (BMI)
• Divide weight in pounds by square of
height in inches, multiplied by 703 or…
• Look at a BMI table
• Health Criterions
– under 18.5 = underweight
– 18.5 to 24.9 = normal or healthy!!! 
– 25 to 29.9 = overweight 
– 30 and above = obese  
– 40+ = morbidly obese   
Desirable Ranges for %
Body Fat – Young Adults
• Adult women: 19 to 29% of total body
weight
• Adult men: 10 to19% of total body
weight
• Experts disagree…
???
Sample “Expert” Opinions
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Men
18-25%
13-17%
11-22%
8-19%
12-19%
15-19%
8-25%
CDC
AMA
Surgeon General
World Health Organ
ACSM
Ken Cooper
RANGES
* Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research
Women
25-31%
20-27%
23-34%
21-33%
19-26%
18-22%
18-34%
Risk of Chronic Disease
CHD & Morbidity
• Adult women exceeding 30-32% of total
body weight (45%=Morbidly Obese)
• Adult men exceeding 20-22% of total
body weight (35%=Morbidly Obese)
“1/8 American deaths caused by an
illness directly related to overweight or
obesity” Surgeon General
Waist-to-Hip Ratio or
Body Fat Distribution
• Waist circumference (inches) divided by
hip circumference (inches) = waist-to-hip
ratio
• Standard ratios
– Women: No more than 0.80
– Men: Less than 0.95
* Waist size alone W<35”/M<40”
Body Fat Distribution
and Health
• Men build up belly fat or excess central
located visceral fat - “apples” 
• Women collect fat in hips and buttocks
or gluteal-femoral fat – “pears” 
* Pears are healthier than Apples!!!!!
* Apples can lose weight easier than
pears. Why?
Race & Childhood Obesity
• 18% Hispanic - 14% Black - 10% White
• Starts w/ being overweight in pregnancy
“Chubby baby is a happy baby” MYTH
– Less breast feeding/earlier solid food
• Continues overweight at birth… leads to
overweight/obesity by pre-school
• Prime causes:
>TV/Screen Time >Soda/Sugar >Junk Food
<Sleep
<Physical Activity/Exercise
Health Risks of Too Much
Body Fat
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Premature death
CHD/Stroke
Blood Pressure
Diabetes
Cancer
Respiratory problems
Arthritis/Orthopedic
Maintaining a
Healthy Body
Composition and
Body Weight
Definitions
• Calorie: Unit of energy supplied by food
- commonly called a KCAL
• Basal metabolic rate (BMR): Energy
consumed (measured in calories) by
body at rest to keep vital functions going
• BMR = 70% of daily KCAL expendature
Obesity - #2 Cause of
Preventable Death
• Over 60% of U.S. adults are either
overweight or obese…
– Overweight = BMI of 25 to 29.9
– Obese = BMI of 30 or more
* 2009- First time more Americans are obese
34% than overweight 33%
Caloric Balance Equation
Simply Kcals In vs Kcals Out
• Weight gain = calories consumed >
calories used (+ balance)
• Weight loss = calories consumed <
calories used (- balance)
• No weight change = calories consumed
equals calories used (homeostasis)
Early Theories About
Weight Gain
• Fat cell theory (hyperplasia)
- fat when young = increase # cells
• Set point theory
• Glandular disorder theory
Current Theories
•
•
•
•
•
Genetics- 25%
Sedentary/Inactive Lifestyle
Gluttony/Fatty-Caloric Dense foods
Emotional Disorders >food & drink
Socioeconomic $$$, age/BMR, and
gender factors
• Cultural factors
• Smoking cessation
First Steps for Weight
Management
•
•
•
•
•
•
Do body composition assessment
Set realistic weight loss goal
Keep a food diary
Increase daily activity!
Make activity a habit!
Make activity social & FUN!
Desirable Body Weight
• Body Weight x % Fat = _____ lbs FW
• Body Weight – FW = ____ lbs LBW
* Locate a calculator 
Divide LBW / 1.00 – new desireable % fat
ex. 200 lbs x 20% = ??? FW
200 lbs – ??? = ??? LBW
LBW/ .85 (for 15%) becomes…
160/.85 = 188 lbs at 15%
Weight Management Tips
• Increase Physical Activity & Exercise
* ALL adults should take three ___ min walks/day*
•
•
•
•
•
•
Eat fewer calories and/or healthier calories
Cut back on simple sugars
Eat lean protein
Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables
Eat high-fiber grains and legumes
Include small amounts of healthful fats (olive
oil, nuts, fatty fish)
WOMEN'S TRADITIONAL vs NEW
MODERNIZED BODY MEASUREMENTS???
S
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
M
L
XL
2XL
6
8
10 12
14
16
18
Bust 33½"
34½"
35½"
36½"
38"
39½"
41"
43"
45"
Waist 25½"
26½"
27½"
28½"
30"
31½"
33"
35"
37"
Hip 35½"
36½"
37½"
38½"
40"
41½"
43"
45"
47”
* An Important Word About Our New Women’s Fit & Size Chart. At Woolrich, we
constantly strive to improve our products. Thanks to your feedback, we realized the
fit of our Women’s clothing needed tweaking—nothing dramatic, but a better, more
generous comfort-fit. We have also changed our sizing chart.
WOMEN'S BODY MEASUREMENTS - FALL 2008 - NEW!
XS
S
M
L
XL
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Bust 34"
35"
36"
37"
38½"
40"
41½"
43½” 45"
Waist 27-8 28-9 29-30 30-1
31½-32½ 33-4
35-6
37½-38½
40-41"
Hip 38"
38½"
39"
40"
41"
42½"
44” 45½”
47"
Prevention of Obesity
• Reducing sodas and juices with added sugars.
• Reducing energy/nutrient dense foods containing
added sugars or solid fats.
• Eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains,
and lean proteins.
• Controlling portions / drinking more water.
• Choosing low-fat or non-fat dairy products.
• Limiting television viewing time and consider
keeping televisions out of children’s rooms.
• Being more physically active throughout the day.
• Breastfeeding exclusively to 6 months. CDC
Major Conclusions
• 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity on 5
days of the week provides substantial health
benefits and is sufficient to prevent weight
gain in some people
• Some individuals need more than 30
minutes/day to prevent weight gain (also some
can get by with less)
• Prevention of weight regain in formerly obese
persons may require up to 90 minutes of
activity/day
• Get up/move! ! ____3 X week for ___ mins
Body Comp./ Weight Control
• American Heart Association- Body Composition
calculator and risk factorshttp://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=
4489
• American Heart Association Weight Managementhttp://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/Weight
Management/WeightManagement_UCM_001081_SubHomePage.jsp
• Weight Loss and Nutrition Mythshttp://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/myths.htm
• http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html
Attendance ???’s
* Partner Quiz… find a friend and…
• #1- The #2 cause of preventable death in
America is …?
• #2- More Americans are now obese or
overweight?
• #3- All Adults need to walk for ??
minutes per day?
**** Homework- bring a copy of the
Obesity Video Questions on ANGEL to
our next class to use during the video.
Final Exam Study Questions
1- The type of body fat found only on
females is their 3-4% ____-_______ fat.
2- A normal or healthy MBI is ____ ,
overweight is __ & morbidy obese is __?
3- Apples are more at risk than a Pear due
to their excess centrally located _____ fat.
4- Genetics… “how well we picked our
parents” … accounts for only about
____% of our adulthood body
composition?
5- Your healthy desireable body weight
Web Sites - References
• The Surgeon General’s Vision for a
Healthy and Fit Nation - 2010
• Center for Disease Control
• American Medical Association
• ChooseMyPlate from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA)
• Healthy Weight from the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Small Step from the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services