Don't let the name fool you. "Body fat" is not about how much fat you have in your body, it's about how much of that is subcutaneous (on the outside) and visceral (inside). Measuring body fat can be tricky, but here's how to do it accurately at home or in a gym:
DEXA (Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry)
There are lots of ways to measure body fat. The most common, and easiest way is to use a simple skinfold test. If you've ever had an athlete take their shirt off at the end of practice or play a sport like baseball, then you know this method well. It's easy, but not very accurate because it only measures one layer of fat on your body (subcutaneous).
Another popular method uses bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), which sends electrical currents through your body to measure how much resistance there is as the current passes through it—the more water in your muscle tissue, the less resistance there will be. This can give a decent ballpark estimate of how much lean mass versus fat mass you have on your body; however, it doesn't take into account bone density or other factors that influence hydration levels and can give inaccurate results if done improperly or used improperly over time since changes in hydration levels affect its accuracy over time as well as between people with different bodies types and sizes..
Hydrostatic weighing
The most accurate measurement of body fat is underwater weighing. It measures your total weight and you can then calculate your body fat percentage by subtracting the amount of bone, muscle, and other tissue from your total weight.
The first step to do this is to submerge yourself in a tank filled with water until you're completely covered, but not so deep that you can't stand up again (you should be able to hold your breath for about one minute). The next step would be inhaling all the air you can before getting into the tank to ensure there's no extra oxygen in your system when measuring how much nitrogen remains after exhaling for about five seconds straight.
If done correctly, hydrostatic weighing will provide extremely accurate results; however, it does have some drawbacks: it takes longer than most other methods (as long as 15 minutes), costs more money than many other methods ($200-$500), requires traveling somewhere where they offer hydrostatic weighing services (most gyms don't offer this service on site), and doesn't always fit into people's schedules because they only operate during normal business hours.
Air displacement plethysmography (Bod Pod)
The Bod Pod is a machine that measures your body volume and calculates your percentage of body fat. The way it works is simple: you lie inside a large chamber for about 10 minutes and inflate it with air. As you inhale, the machine increases its pressure to simulate atmospheric pressures at different elevations. When you exhale, the chamber releases excess air from your lungs using a small fan placed underneath your rib cage (this is why most people find it difficult not to laugh during their first few tries).
The Bod Pod measures both volume and density in order to calculate total mass (including fat mass) and %BF. This method has been shown to correlate well with underwater weighing, which is considered by many experts as the gold standard for measuring body composition.
Skinfold calipers
The next option for measuring body fat is a pair of calipers. These are the most common type of skinfold caliper, and you can buy them at any pharmacy or online. You'll need one that measures in millimeters or centimeters; if you're using a standard inch-based version, you'll have to convert from inches to millimeters first. Calipers aren't as accurate as hydrostatic weighing, but they're much more portable and inexpensive—you can even do it at home! The downside is that because these use manual readings rather than digital ones, there's some room for error in numbers generated by people who aren't trained scientists (or even super-sciencey).
Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)
BIA is a quick, easy and inexpensive method of measuring body fat. BIA has been shown to be accurate in predicting the percentage of body fat for people within 5% of their actual body fat percentage. However, it's not as accurate as hydrostatic weighing, Bod Pod or DEXA scan. It may also give you a number that's lower than your actual body fat percentage if you have an athletic build or low muscle mass.
BIA is not as accurate as skinfold calipers: Skinfold calipers use measurements from pinch tests on various parts of your body (triceps, abdomen etc.) and use an equation based on research by Lohman (1981) which predicts how much subcutaneous fat there is on different parts of your body based on those measurements.
How to measure body fat at home
In this article, we will show you how to measure body fat at home. If possible, it is recommended that you have a professional do this for you. However, if you are in a situation where no professional is available and all you have is yourself and some measuring tools, then read on!
The most accurate method to measure body fat is via body fat testing with hydrostatic weighing, Bod Pod or DEXA scan. However, these methods can be costly and are not always readily available.
You can measure your body fat at home by using a caliper or skinfold method. This is the second most accurate method but is considered less reliable than hydrostatic weighing and other professional equipment for measuring body composition.
Determining your body fat percentage will help you track how much weight you lose or gain over time as well as identify any underlying health issues that might be affecting your progress toward reaching your goals.
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Body fat testing can be a useful tool for improving your health and fitness goals. However, it’s important to remember that there is no single test that is completely accurate or reliable. Depending on your needs, one method may be better than another.
For example, if you want an estimate of how much body fat you have and don't care about the exact number then using a scale would be sufficient enough while someone else might prefer using skinfold calipers over Bod Pod because they find it easier or more comfortable.
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