BMI Measurement - alternative method

roundater
on 8/4/12 1:28 pm - Lincoln, NE

Hi,

My BMI is 27.2 but because of my WLS and all the weight lost, my do suggested getting my MBI measured by alternate means (i.e. - dunk tak or bod pod). ANybody familiiar with alternative procedures, particularly around Lincoln NE? Thanks in advance for your help.
Rich Sonderegger
                
happyteacher
on 8/5/12 12:14 am
 rhearob at one point had a great explaination on his blog.  Find one of his posts (check the cheating post that is current) and you will find a link to it in his signature.  At one point his blog went down so not sure if he lost them all for good, or put them back up.

Others have commented on "bod pod"- I guess it is a inexpensive way that is fairly easy to find.  Perhaps give that a google.  

Surgeon: Chengelis  Surgery on 12/19/2011  A little less carb eating compared to my weight loss phase loose sleever here!

1Mo: -21  2Mo: -16  3Mo: -12  4MO - 13  5MO: -11 6MO: -10 7MO: -10.3 8MO: -6  Goal in 8 months 4 days!!   6' 2''  EWL 103%  Starting size 28 or 4x (tight) now size 12 or large, shoe size 12 w to 10.5   150+ pounds lost  

Join the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker group for recipes and tips! Click here to join!

roundater
on 8/5/12 2:03 am - Lincoln, NE
Thank you. THis helps a lot.
Rich Sonderegger
                
Escape_Pod
on 8/5/12 12:33 am
I had a DEXA scan done last month, cost was a little under $200 for two tests (I've started working with a personal trainer, and wanted a before and after). Many sports medicine clinics have the equipment for that. (They also use DEXA for bone density scans, so make sure you've found a place that's doing body composition tests, not just bone density.)
roundater
on 8/5/12 2:02 am - Lincoln, NE
Thank you - this has been very helpful.
Rich Sonderegger
                
rhearob
on 8/5/12 1:06 am - TN
 What you are looking at measuring is not BMI, which is a claculation based on height, but Body composition (% lean bmuscle to fat).  There are three technologies for that - BIA (Body Impedance Analysis - what the scales do), Hydrostatic Body Composition Analysis (Bod POd, etc), and a DEXA Scan (The gold standard, but expensive since its essentially an x-ray based test.  IN addition to those you can do it manually with a caliper test.

the Caliper test is cra for the bariatric patient.  The concept here is that you measure skin thickness in specific areas and compare to a chart.  When we wear a skin suit 10 sizes too large yo ucan see the problem.  Also, if the measurments are not taken precisely then you get reulsts that are way off.

BIA can be a good tool when applied correctly.  Don't waste your money on the scales.  Recent tests by Consumer reports have shown them to be wildly off.  The concept behind BIA is that electrical current travels differently through lean muscle than fat because of the difference in water content.  In the best BIA tests electrodes are connected at multiple points across the body.  Also the operator must choose the best algorithm to calculate body composition based on the readings from various points in the body and the body type, age, etc.  Thats why the scales are so off, many just measure impedance in the lower body which completely misses the abdomen in men - where we store most of our body fat.

Hydrostatic testing takes the whole body into account.  Again, the readings are dependent on operator.  In hydrostatic testing, the density of the body is determined and then compared to standards based on age, gender, etc. to get body composition.  There are standard calculations, but not one unified equation.

DEXA is the only technology to measure directly.  X-Rays of different energies are directed through the body.  They react differently to different densities of tissue.  The operator can directly determine how much of the body is fat versus muscle. 

A decent bod pod test should cost about 50 bucks.


_____________________________________________________________________
 160 lbs lost. Surgeons Goal Reached in 33 weeks.  My Goal in 37 Weeks.

VSG: 11/2/2011; LBL+Thigh Lift+BL: 10/3/2012; Brach+Mastopexy:  7/22/2013

roundater
on 8/5/12 2:03 am - Lincoln, NE
Thank your for the very complete and thorough explanation.
Rich Sonderegger
                
sunnymicki
on 8/5/12 1:40 am
I have had the Bod Pod test done twice, and the results are definitely more valuable to me than the BMI.  The Bod Pod says I am about 27% body fat, which for a woman is right in the middle of the "acceptable/healthy" range of 23-30%; however, my BMI is still 27, or overweight.  On the flip side, someone posted in the VSG Maintenance forum recently that they were shocked to find that although they have a normal BMI, their body fat was 36%.

The BMI cannot tell you if the weight you are losing is fat tissue or lean tissue (bone or muscle). 

It was the Bod Pod that gave me the info that I had actually gained a pound of lean mass over the last four months, and it was the Bod Pod that told me I only need to lose about 10 more pounds of fat to get into the "lean" range.  That is the kind of data that is helpful to me, and I would imagine would be very helpful to you, on the weight loss journey.

Cost of the Bod Pod varies by area of the country I think.  In Ohio, its about $25/test.  Google Bod Pod and your state, and also try calling local university atheletic depts or gyms.

5'9" All weight lost post-op. Goal weight determined by body composition testing.

roundater
on 8/5/12 2:04 am - Lincoln, NE
Thank you. I will check it out.
Rich Sonderegger
                
(deactivated member)
on 8/5/12 2:43 am
Hi Rich,
My BMI is 26.6 because I am not going to lose to the weight the charts suggest. I'd bee too damn thin!

Just before I hit goal, I had a Hydrostatic Body Comp. test done. It was pretty awesome! I found that my body fat % was 18.5%, which for a guy my age is pretty darn good. My goal is to get down to 15-17% body fat which would put me in the above average fit category for my age.

The cost was $49 and well worth it to me. I did a google search for body fat testing to find a local company with good reviews and reputation.


Most Active
×