What is body composition?
In health and fitness, body composition is used to describe the percentages of the different components of the human body including fat mass, muscle mass, bone, tissue, and water. Two people with the same height and weight could have different health issues and challenges because their body composition is different.
Benefits of a body composition analysis
- The information above is used and compared to health guidelines to assess your biological age (bio age) and make recommendations on areas of improvement.
- Body composition scanners are a great way to get your health and wellness journey started, providing insights to support your personal health goals and hold you accountable.
- Takes the guess work out of health and fitness programs
- Required information for optimal health
- The ability to track how your body is responding to training and nutrition
- Your trainer with key areas to focus on and allow them to tailor an effective training program as you undergo your health and fitness journey
What is an Evolt 360 body scan?
The EVOLT 360 is a body composition scanner which provides a quick, easy, test and a detailed report on your body composition including your muscle mass, body fat mass an percentage, bio age and more. Evolt360 scan measures health markers such as:
- body fat
- visceral fat
- lean muscle mass
- skeletal muscle mass
- protein mass
- water weight and percentage
The Evolt 360 body composition analysis and report will provide results on the following areas:
- lean body mass. Lean body mass is everything that is not fat and anything in your digestive system that hasn’t been digested. Lean body mass includes skeletal muscle mass, protein, minerals, water.
- skeletal muscle mass: the muscle attached to the skeletal system
- protein content: core of your cells
- mineral weight: mineral bone weight (not density)
- total body water: water in your body
- body fat mass: your total body fat in kilograms
- subcutaneous fat mass: the external body fat anything that you can see or pinch.
- visceral fat: internal body fat in the abdominal cavity, around the internal organs.
- total body fat percentage: measurement combining both the subcutaneous fat and visceral fat.
- total body water (ICF and ECF) hydration levels inside and outside of your cells
- basal metabolic rate (BMR): minimal amount of energy (calories) required to sustain vital functions and keep your body functioning whilst at rest for a 24-hour period)
- total energy expenditure (TEE): the total energy cost (calories burnt) in a 24-hour period for essential processes such as eating, breathing, circulating blood, digesting food, adjusted to the amount of activity.
Your Evolt scan report will provide your numeric result for each of these areas, with a grading of ‘optimal’, ‘under’ or ‘high’ as well as reference ranges from the World Health Organisation based on someone your height, weight, age and gender.
-
How often should I have a body composition scan?
How often you have a body composition scan depends on you and your goals. We recommend having scans every 6-8 weeks to enable accurate monitoring of progress and relevant training program adjustments. -
How does a body composition scan work?
You step onto the body scanner machine with bare feet, no need to remove clothing. After the machine has taken your weight you’ll be instructed to pick up the handles and press down on the trigger buttons, and move your arms away from your body into the required position and distance from your body.
Bio-electrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) is used to measure body composition. BIA fitness tests work by sending a safe, low intensity, weak, electrical current through the body via the tactile points on the machine (feet and hands). When the electrical currents pass through different types of tissue, different levels of resistance (impedance) can be measured. The resistance to flow of the alternating current, combined with a person’s age, gender, height, and weight can be used to determine muscle mass, fat mass (including visceral and subcutaneous), water and mineral. For example, the signal moves slower through fat mass compared to lean body mass.
Evolt’s BIA technology uses five compartments (torso, both arms and both legs) rather than a single compartment to offer a more reliable body composition result.
-
How to prepare for a body scan?
There are no pre-scan requirements prior to having your Evolt 360 scan, however there are factors that affect body composition measurements and it is best to keep these in mind to ensure your results provide an accurate picture.
The following conditions affect the results of the body composition scans:
- consumed food
- hydration
- time of day
- hormone levels. For example the stage in the menstrual cycle.
- medication
- body temperature
To avoid variation in body scan results, it is suggested to test first thing in the morning, on an empty bladder and stomach, with good overall hydration, no consumption of caffeine or training activity prior, and to ensure you have your scan at the same time, day of the week and month for follow up scans.
These conditions are not compulsory. For example, you can still scan after eating a meal, as long as you re-scan under the exact same, or a close as possible to the original conditions to maintain consistency in measurement.
The menstrual cycle also affects the body’s water retention due to increased and fluctuating levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone throughout the cycle. Therefore, try to do follow up scans in the same phase of the menstrual cycle.
In summary, aim for consistent conditions each time you have a body scan.
-
How long does the scan take?
The scan takes 60 seconds. A full results report is available in minutes afterwards.
We book you in for a 15-minute body composition scan and report session. This involves the scan, results and recommendations. Our trainer will take about 10 minutes to go through your results, provide explanations and recommendations to achieve your goals.
Where can I get a body composition test?
Evolt 360 scanners are located at many YMCA managed recreation centres across Victoria.