If there is something I insist on is that the percentage of body fat is the measure that should concern us most when we want to take care of ourselves, but… how can I calculate my percentage of fat approximately?
How can I calculate my body fat percentage?
Calculating exactly the body fat index is practically impossible, but there are many methods that allow you to obtain an approximate value.
Among the methods you have to measure your percentage of fat are:
- The caliper. These are tweezers to measure skin folds; this method can be very accurate as long as you know how to use the caliper well.
- Body fat monitors. These monitors work by sending an electric current that is sent through the body and uses “biometric impedance analysis. Currently many scales include these monitors.
- Water displacement analysis. This is undoubtedly one of the most accurate techniques to measure the percentage of Body Fat Calculator, although it is required to go to a specialized center.
- DEXA Exploration: It is the most accurate method, but also the most expensive. In general, it consists of an analysis of the body composition through X-rays.
The problem is that on many occasions we cannot access these methods to know our percentage of fat, what can we do in these cases?
Deurenberg’s formula:
Deurenberg’s formula is very useful for estimating our body fat. This formula takes into account height, weight and age.
How is it calculated?
% fat = 1.2 x (BMI) +0.23 x (age) -10.8 x (sex) – 5.4
Clarifications on the formula:
In sex women have to put the value 0 and men 1
BMI is calculated by dividing weight by height squared
Is the Deurenberg formula reliable to calculate my body fat percentage?
If you are going to use this formula to get an approximate idea of your percentage of fat you have to take into account that the estimates are more accurate in the age range between 30 and 45 years.
In people who have a lot of muscle mass will not work because their BMI is higher.
My opinion:
Having an idea of our percentage of body fat, especially if we accompany it with the waist hip index (here you can calculate it) is very useful to make a diagnosis of our fitness and if it can affect our health. But I think in the end it all comes down to this:
Look in the mirror: Do you like how you look? Great, keep doing what you are doing. You don’t like what you see nor do you think you can improve? It’s time to start your Bikini Operation.