Forget BMI – It’s No Longer Enough

BMI (body mass index) has traditionally been the value used to measure a healthy weight for a client’s height. But it is not able to distinguish body fat from muscle and water, which is essential in helping a member or client reach their goals.

BIA gives more specific data

BIA (bioelectrical impedance analysis) however is able to make this distinction. It allows you to determine what the change is in a person’s total body weight. This could be fat, muscle or fluids.

This more specific data allows you to adapt a wellness or fitness program very early on. Ultimately this will help members and clients to work more efficiently and achieve their goals much faster. This increases a person’s motivation which can in turn increase referrals and ultimately increase the number of members or clients.

BMI comes under scrutiny

BMI has been in use for over 100 years. However, a study brought it under scrutiny finding that BMI incorrectly labelled more than 54 million Americans as “unhealthy”. Furthermore, over 30% labelled in the “normal” range were actually unhealthy based on their other health data. BIA technology from Bodystat however, does accurately measure far more than just BMI.

BIA – the new BMI

Before the invention of BIA, BMI used the measure of the client’s weight (kg) divided by height, in meters squared. However, these values cannot pinpoint the reasons for specific fluctuations in total body weight. For instance, loss of weight doesn’t necessarily mean the client has lost fat. It could be due to loss of muscle or even dehydration. 

Bodystat devices, such as the 1500, offer accurate, medically graded results in seconds and are equivalent to Gold Standards.

BIA is non-invasive. It uses a small current to measure skin resistance at different frequencies against various tissues in the body. Accuracy of measurement depends on the thickness of the skin and the connection to the electrode on the skin. For instance, your skin is thicker of on the soles of your feet than the tops of your feet. For this reason, Bodystat, use calibrated, medically graded electrodes on top of the hands and feet, as opposed to stand-on scales.