Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis Interpretation of Results |
Once the data is entered into your software program, you can start to interpret the results. The numbers you will see include either pounds or kilograms of body cell mass, extracellular mass, and fat mass. The sum of body cell mass and extracellular mass represents the total fat-free mass.
An individual’s optimal body composition may vary and evaluation is optimally conducted by comparing tests to optimal, healthy baselines. Unfortunately, tests are not often taken prior to the existence of nutrition-related risk. To establish a more general baseline to compare clients to and for our purposes here, we will use a set of "reference" values for men and women. Men carry a mean body fat of approximately 15% while women carry 25% of their weight as body fat. A range of 10-22% of body weight as fat in men and 20-32% in women is considered reasonable.[82] The remainder is expressed as fat-free mass with men carrying about 78-90% of a good body weight as FFM and women carrying approximately 68-80% as FFM. Splitting the FFM out into sub-compartments, we would expect about half of the FFM to be BCM in men. Women generally carry less muscle than men. In women, this means that their fat-free mass (we are not talking total weight this time) is generally around 45% BCM and 55% ECT. This works fairly well, if the person is at a good weight. If their weight is low, wasting and risk for poor body function may be missed by calculating BCM on current body weight. Therefore, we base BCM goals on height and frame size (ideal body weight). Table 4 shows values for ideal body weight (IBW) according to height and frame size.
To estimate frame size from an "r" value, wrist circumference can be used in the following calculation: "r" = height (cm)/wrist circumference (cm); For men an "r" value of <9.6 indicates a large frame and >10.4 indicates a small frame; For women an "r" values of <10.1 indicates a large frame and >11.0 indicates a small frame. For more information on this and other anthropometry, visit our sample course, Anthropometry. |
Table 5 shows goal BCM for height and frame size in non-obese individuals. Fat and ECM weight should change with body weight changes to accommodate additional needs for fluids and calorie excess or deficit. Table 6 shows estimated ranges for ECM and fat.
Table 4. Ideal Body Weights According to Frame Size*
Ht (inches) |
Ht (cm) |
Men: Ideal Body Weight |
Women: Ideal Body Weight |
||||
Small Frame |
Medium Frame |
Large Frame |
Small Frame |
Medium Frame |
Large Frame |
||
60 |
152.4 |
95.4 |
106 |
116.6 |
90 |
100 |
110 |
61 |
154.94 |
100.8 |
112 |
123.2 |
94.5 |
105 |
115.5 |
61.5 |
156.21 |
103.5 |
115 |
126.5 |
96.75 |
107.5 |
118.25 |
62 |
157.48 |
106.2 |
118 |
129.8 |
99 |
110 |
121 |
62.5 |
158.75 |
108.9 |
121 |
133.1 |
101.25 |
112.5 |
123.75 |
63 |
160.02 |
111.6 |
124 |
136.4 |
103.5 |
115 |
126.5 |
63.5 |
161.29 |
114.3 |
127 |
139.7 |
105.75 |
117.5 |
129.25 |
64 |
162.56 |
117 |
130 |
143 |
108 |
120 |
132 |
64.5 |
163.83 |
119.7 |
133 |
146.3 |
110.25 |
122.5 |
134.75 |
65 |
165.1 |
122.4 |
136 |
149.6 |
112.5 |
125 |
137.5 |
65.5 |
166.37 |
125.1 |
139 |
152.9 |
114.75 |
127.5 |
140.25 |
66 |
167.64 |
127.8 |
142 |
156.2 |
117 |
130 |
143 |
66.5 |
168.91 |
130.5 |
145 |
159.5 |
119.25 |
132.5 |
145.75 |
67 |
170.18 |
133.2 |
148 |
162.8 |
121.5 |
135 |
148.5 |
67.5 |
171.45 |
135.9 |
151 |
166.1 |
123.75 |
137.5 |
151.25 |
68 |
172.72 |
138.6 |
154 |
169.4 |
126 |
140 |
154 |
68.5 |
173.99 |
141.3 |
157 |
172.7 |
128.25 |
142.5 |
156.75 |
69 |
175.26 |
144 |
160 |
176 |
130.5 |
145 |
159.5 |
69.5 |
176.53 |
146.7 |
163 |
179.3 |
132.75 |
147.5 |
162.25 |
70 |
177.8 |
149.4 |
166 |
182.6 |
135 |
150 |
165 |
70.5 |
179.07 |
152.1 |
169 |
185.9 |
137.25 |
152.5 |
167.75 |
71 |
180.34 |
154.8 |
172 |
189.2 |
139.5 |
155 |
170.5 |
71.5 |
181.61 |
157.5 |
175 |
192.5 |
141.75 |
157.5 |
173.25 |
72 |
182.88 |
160.2 |
178 |
195.8 |
144 |
160 |
176 |
72.5 |
184.15 |
162.9 |
181 |
199.1 |
146.25 |
162.5 |
178.75 |
73 |
185.42 |
165.6 |
184 |
202.4 |
148.5 |
165 |
181.5 |
73.5 |
186.69 |
168.3 |
187 |
205.7 |
150.75 |
167.5 |
184.25 |
74 |
187.96 |
171 |
190 |
209 |
153 |
170 |
187 |
74.5 |
189.23 |
173.7 |
193 |
212.3 |
155.25 |
172.5 |
189.75 |
75 |
190.5 |
176.4 |
196 |
215.6 |
157.5 |
175 |
192.5 |
75.5 |
191.77 |
179.1 |
199 |
218.9 |
159.75 |
177.5 |
195.25 |
76 |
193.04 |
181.8 |
202 |
222.2 |
162 |
180 |
198 |
76.5 |
194.31 |
184.5 |
205 |
225.5 |
164.25 |
182.5 |
200.75 |
77 |
195.58 |
187.2 |
208 |
228.8 |
166.5 |
185 |
203.5 |
*based on "r" values calculated by dividing height in cm by wrist circumference in cm; men: >10.4 = small frame, 9.6-10.4 = medium frame, <9.6 = large frame; women: >11.0 = small frame, 10.1-11.0 = medium frame, <10.1 = small frame. Source: Grant J. Handbook of Total Parenteral Nutrition. Philadelphia: WBSaunders, 1980
Table 5. Ideal Body Cell Mass for Sex, Height, and Frame Size in Non-Obese Individuals
Table 6. Expected Ranges of Fat and Extracelluar Mass (ECM) for Men Based on Current Body Weight (CBW) in Pounds
Table 7. Expected Ranges of Fat and Extracellular
Mass (ECM) for Women Based on Current Body Weight (CBW) in Pounds
Click here to go to the next section Notes on Interpreting Obese Patients Back to Table of Contents References:[82] Lohman TG. Body compsition methodology in sports medicine. Phys Sports Med. 1982;10(12):47-58. [83] Hamwi G. Changing dietary concepts. In: Danowski TS, ed. Diabetes Mellitus: Diagnosis and Treatment. New York, NY: American Diabetes Association; 1964. [84] Grant A, DeHoog S. Nutritional Assessment and Support. Fourth Ed. Grant & DeHoog: Seattle, WA, 1991:13-18. |
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