Measuring body fat is a crucial aspect of health monitoring, used to assess obesity risk, set fitness goals, and track progress. Effective body fat measurement involves determining the percentage of fat in the body relative to other components like muscle, bone, and water.
This information is essential for understanding overall health status, as high body fat levels can increase the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Historically, body mass index (BMI) has been a common measure of body fat, but it does not distinguish between fat and muscle mass. Today, advanced techniques like bioelectrical impedance analysis and hydrodensitometry provide more accurate body fat measurements.