What is InBody and how does it work?
The InBody body composition analyser measures your body and provides a detailed, yet easy to understand report. On your results sheet, you will see how many kilograms of fat and muscle is on your body and where it is located. By monitoring these metrics over time, you can pin point the changes needed in your diet and exercise to achieve your goals. A small example of the metrics found on a InBody results sheet:
Total skeletal muscle mass
Total body fat in kilograms
Total body fat percentage
Total body water
Segmental muscle and fat analysis
Bone mineral content
Basal metabolic rate
Plus much more…
What is BIA?
Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was discovered in the early 1960s. BIA is a method of measuring body composition. A small alternating current is sent through the body which measures the different resistance of the make up of the body. For example, body fat compared to body water (such as blood) has a much weaker conductivity, which equals relatively high impedance.
How InBody has revolutionised BIA technology by not using age and gender to make assumptions about a person’s body composition.
What are these assumptions?
Inputted Data such as age, gender and body type are used by some devices to overcome poor accuracy and reproducibility in measuring a person’s body composition. These assumptions may go unnoticed when scanning an ‘average’ person, but in the case of someone outside the norm, the results produced may show huge discrepancies. This method should not be relied on for a precise measurement.
What sets InBody apart from generic BIA devices?
InBody is the only BIA device that does not use age and gender to make assumptions in your body composition measurement. InBody’s patented technology is unique, as it scans you for you. The results are extremely precise, and as unique as the person standing on the device. You can change your age and/or gender on an InBody device and your measurement will not change, as YOU have not changed. This is one of the underpinning reasons why InBody is used in extensive studies and utilised by top sports people, medical institutions and NASA. InBody is currently used in over 70 countries worldwide.
Why we ask for age and gender?
We request age and gender simply as a way of providing relevant guidelines on your results sheet. These are generally found in brackets, next to your actual results. This allows you to compare your results against a broad-spectrum average. Change your age and gender on an InBody device, your measurements will not change – only the guidelines will change.
Here is a brilliant tip to test the precision of generic BIA devices.
If you change your age and/or gender, your measurement should not change. If it does, it shows the device is using age and gender with prediction equations, not actually producing an individual assessment.
In other brands, age and gender is required and will produce results based on assumptions. This will substantially affect the outcome of the scan. Age and gender should not be required in order to produce a precise scan. Other devices may also ask for ethnicity and body types. Which again, should not be required in order to produce a precise scan. Claims are often made that inputting age and gender makes the scan more accurate however, this is incorrect.
For example, if you were to scan a 12 year old child, then 1 week later scan them again. Even though the child is growing quickly little would have changed in that one week. However, if in that week they turned 13, other devices will assume they are one year older, but in fact they are only one week older. Therefore, results cannot and should not be relied on. InBody’s standalone, patented technology ensures unsurpassed precision.