Calculating body muscle percentage, a body composition metric, involves determining the ratio of lean mass (muscle, bones, and organs) to total body mass. For instance, a person weighing 150 pounds with 30 pounds of lean mass would have a muscle percentage of roughly 20%.
Determining body muscle percentage holds significance in various areas. In fitness, it provides insights into muscle mass, a crucial factor in strength and metabolism. Medically, it aids in diagnosing conditions like sarcopenia, an age-related loss of muscle mass. One notable historical development in this field was the introduction of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in the 1980s, which revolutionized muscle percentage measurement.