BODY COMPOSITION – LAB WORK
How much of your body is composed of fat? At first, that might seem like an
impossible question to answer. But the question can be answered fairly well,
and the answer is important to your overall health.
Define body composition:
Measuring body composition involves measuring:
a) lean body mass :
b) fat mass:
c) percent body fat:
All fat tissue can be labeled as either :
a) essential fat: necessary for normal body functioning (fat in brain, fat in
muscles, nerves, bones and reproductive and digestive organs) Men need a
minimum of 3% essential body fat. Women need 12% of essential body fat
due to reproductive system related needs.
b) storage fat: nonessential fat stored in tissue near the body’s surface and
around major organs. Storage fat provides energy, insulation, and padding.
Define each body type:
a) mesomorph
b) ectomorph
c) endomorph
Why do body size, shape, and composition matter?
How can you evaluate your body size and shape? How do you determine if
your body size and shape are “healthy”?(define each)
a) Body Mass Index
b) Measuring Body Circumference (waist to hip ratio)
c) Identifying Body Patterns of fat distribution (discuss the 2 most popular
shapes – android and gynoid)
What methods are used to assess body composition?
A truly accurate measure can only happen after death. Define these
methods that are available to give us the best estimate:
a) Skinfold Measurements:
b) Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA)
c) Hydrostatic Weighing
d) Air Displacement (Bod Pod)
e) Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BI0A)
.
The table attached gives you a quick estimate of your body fat.
In a minimum of 500 words discuss the problems associated with having too
low a percentage of body fat (ie: female athlete triad) or too high a
percentage of body fat (ie: dangers associated with being obese)