DXA body composition scans in Albany, GA
623 N. Westover Blvd. Albany, GA 31707
P.O. Box 72401, Albany, GA 31708
By Appointment Only
Albany location
Body fat testing in Albany, GA
Having an accurate picture of your body’s fat mass gives you information you can use to lose the right kind of weight and assess your risk of developing serious health conditions.
Our body fat scan measures two types of adipose tissue:
Subcutaneous fat
is fat found right below your skin. It’s the most obvious type of fat, and most of the fat stored in the body is subcutaneous.
Visceral adipose tissue (VAT)
also called belly fat, is behind your abdominal muscles. VAT can be sneaky. You can look skinny and still have high levels of VAT around your inner organs.
Visceral fat isn’t just hidden, it’s dangerous. Having a high proportion of visceral fat is linked to serious health risks.
Why high VAT hurts your health
Body fat isn’t inert. It’s constantly producing chemicals and hormones, with VAT generating the most. This can create a toxic environment in the body and increase inflammation, leading to metabolic syndrome and a higher risk of the “Big 4” diseases:
- Heart Disease
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Dementia
In order for weight loss to improve your health, VAT must be targeted. BodyData scans precisely measure each type of fat so you can understand and manage your risk.
Types of body fat scans
DXA body composition scan
DXA body fat scans deliver accurate, detailed results about the subcutaneous fat and visceral adipose tissue in your body. BodyData makes these medical-grade scans accessible and affordable.
How it worksHydrostatic
Also known as hydrodensitometry or underwater weighing, hydrostatic body fat tests compare your mass on land to your mass underwater to calculate your density and body fat percentage. It’s accurate, but can be inconvenient (impossible for some) and hard to find.
Air displacement
Better known by the brand Bod Pod, air displacement plethysmography (ADP) uses air instead of water to calculate the density of your body. The test involves sitting in a sealed chamber while the air pressure is manipulated. Like hydrostatic body fat testing, it’s accurate, but can be inconvenient and hard to find.
BIA
Bioelectrial Impedance Analysis uses mild electric current to measure your body composition. You’ve probably seen BIA devices at the gym. While easy and convenient, BIA is not very accurate, and your results can be skewed by what you ate or drank that day.
Calipers
Skinfold calipers can give a more-or-less accurate average measurement of your subcutaneous fat when used correctly, but they can’t measure visceral fat.
What about BMI?
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a comparison of your height and weight to give a general idea of whether or not you’re at a healthy weight. There’s no such thing as a BMI test. You can calculate your BMI by dividing your weight (in kilograms) by your height (in meters) squared.
In terms of knowing your body fat percentage, BMI is basically useless.
Book a body fat scan today or contact us with questions.