Body composition can be assessed in a number of different ways with methods ranging in technicality cost and accuracy. Health care providers can use body composition information to screen for current and future health risks provide anticipatory guidance monitor therapeutic. Ongoing efforts involve multisegmental and multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis quantitative magnetic resonance for total body water fat and lean tissue measurements imaging to further define ectopic fat depots. Tanita there is growing interest in the measurement of body composition in particular the assessment of fat mass. The most common assessments are anthropometric and include weight stature abdominal circumference and skinfold measurements. Body composition the assessment of body composition and of somatic protein stores involves the measurement of different body compartments water fat bone muscle and visceral organs.
Measurement of body composition during infancy and childhood has important uses in primary and specialty health care settings clinical research and national surveys and surveillance. Evidence suggests that lean body mass lbm may be useful to normalize doses of chemotherapy. Body composition measurement methods are continuously being perfected. Human body composition measurements are objective methods of nutritional assessment and are of interest to nutritionists health professionals and sports scientists. The fat free mass mainly composed of muscle comprises the majority of the somatic protein mass. Body composition assessments vary in precision and in the target tissue of interest.
The cnrc body composition laboratory is the only laboratory of its type in the nation that can provide a complete complement of body composition measurements in all populations ranging from low birth weight infants to adults. The adverse health consequences of excess body fat are well documented and measurements of body fat are used in medical research as a marker of future risk. Data from a prospective study were used to determine if the highest doses of 5 fluorouracil 5 fu per kilogram lbm would be associated with dose limiting toxicity in stage iiiii colon cancer patients treated with 5 fu and leucovorin. Several studies have investigated the use of single slices to estimate whole body composition as an alternative method. Toxicity after cycle 1 was graded. The only fully accurate measurement of body composition is cadaver whole body dissection analysis previously undertaken as part of the brussels cadaver analysis study.
With the increasing prevalence of obesity and lifestyle diseases there is increased need for body composition methods with greater sensitivity and precision. Quantified composition on individual slices obtained at the lumbar spine. These high precision measurements are associated with body water mineral protein and fat content.