Body Fat Index

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falcon123

falcon123

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi,

When you have diabetes your life seems made up of numbers; HbA1c, BG, BMI, BP, etc. Recently I came across a new one. Somebody turned up the other day with an electronic device for measuring your Body Fat Index (BFI). Basically you hold an electrode in each hand and a small current is passed through you. When the first person tried it out it brought back memories of a device that someone brought into school. You held hands and when it was turned on you jerked slightly and could not let go as, allegedly, thousands of volts shot through you. Anyway this did not happen and a meter displayed their BFI. Mine was 21%. The problem is that I do not know if this is good or bad. Does anyone know their BFI and what it means. My BMI is 24.9.

Thanks.
 
falcon123 said:
Hi,

When you have diabetes your life seems made up of numbers; HbA1c, BG, BMI, BP, etc. Recently I came across a new one. Somebody turned up the other day with an electronic device for measuring your Body Fat Index (BFI). Basically you hold an electrode in each hand and a small current is passed through you. When the first person tried it out it brought back memories of a device that someone brought into school. You held hands and when it was turned on you jerked slightly and could not let go as, allegedly, thousands of volts shot through you. Anyway this did not happen and a meter displayed their BFI. Mine was 21%. The problem is that I do not know if this is good or bad. Does anyone know their BFI and what it means. My BMI is 24.9.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Dear falcon123,

Just found this:

Body Fat Percentage for The Average Population
Age Up to 30 30-50 50+
Females 14-21% 15-23% 16-25%
Males 9-15% 11-17% 12-19%

Regards Dodger
 
According to Wikipedia, you're in the 'acceptable' range:
 
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All the Tanita body composition meters that I have used in various research studies - one type you stand on, the other you stand on and hold a handle in each hand - require operator to type in age, sex, height, normal / athletic and then give body fat %, along with the target range for the age, sex etc. A meter that gives a result without explanation isn't much use!
 
I was just thinking last night that I want to find out my BFI
 
I don't want to know! I'm grossly overweight so I'm sure the figure is astronomical.
 
i want to know so my when i say im overweight my mum and friends can't say "you're fine" GRR! I KNOW i'm overweight for a FACT.

ehem, im a bit stressed today :D
 
They have body fat meters in some Boots stores, they do your weight and height too, and print out what the target range should be. I've heard the body fat metes can be quite unreliable though, so not sure how much trust you should put in their figures. E.g. if you have fat around your thighs, how could a machine measure this by a voltage across your hands?
 
Pigeon said:
They have body fat meters in some Boots stores, they do your weight and height too, and print out what the target range should be. I've heard the body fat metes can be quite unreliable though, so not sure how much trust you should put in their figures. E.g. if you have fat around your thighs, how could a machine measure this by a voltage across your hands?
Click to expand...

I think it's all to do with resistance and the composition of your flesh generally, so the current determines what percentage body fat you have overall. I think you need to use other methods, like calipers, to determine fat in individual areas.
 
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