Why Body Composition May Tell Us More Than BMI

Many of us have heard of body composition, but understanding its meaning and significance may be useful for enhancing our health, fitness, and optimal nutrition.

What is Body Composition?

Body composition tells us what the body is made up of, looking at everything from water and body fat to lean tissue mass. So, what are the differences between body fat and lean tissue mass? Body fat is found under the skin or around the organs. Although some body fat is essential to provide us with energy, protect organs, and regulate important hormones, some of us can have an excess of non-essential body fat. Some of us may have a TOFI body composition where we are thin on the outside but fat on the inside. Others may be looking to gain weight after a period of illness or change in appetite. These compositions may cause a variety of issues, such as fatigue, strain on tendons, ligaments, and joints, osteoporosis, type II diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Lean tissue, on the other hand, refers to our bones, muscles and organs. These are the things that form our scaffolding and essentail processing. They therfore require signifivant enrgy (calories, which body fat does not.

Body composition measures these elements to tell us what our bodies are made up of. It shows us changes in hydration, fat, muscle mass and body fat percentage. This helps us understand the risk of certain health conditions due to our personal body make up.

Our individual composition lets us put together plans on how to reach any hydration, weight loss, fitness and health goals going forward.

What about BMI?

Some of us considering measuring how healthy our weight is will start by calculating our Body Mass Index (BMI.) However, BMI is worked out as our weight divided by our height squared. BMI does not measure how much excess fat we hold opposed to bone and muscle or vice versa. This is why some sporty people like rugby players, body builders or weightlifters for example may be incorrectly classified as having an unhealthier BMI and someone who looks thin on the outside though is actually fat on the inside has a BMI sitting in the healthy zone.

Measuring body composition, on the other hand, is a far more effective way to analyse body measurements including body fat percentage, water percentage and lean mass.

So, if we are looking to improve your health and fitness, it may be better to focus on body composition over BMI.

In addition, being able to track measurements, as we lose or gain fat or develop muscle plays a crucial role in reaching our personal nutrition goals, planning our fitness regime or reaching optimum performance.

How to measure body composition

One way to measure body composition in a non-invasive way is through Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA). Though our bathroom scales may have this technology built in, due to the thickness of the soles of the feet, they do not give us the best results. The best and most accurate forms of BIA are available from professionals such as Bridgford & Bingham Nutrition, where light electrodes can be applied to areas of the body with thin skin, such as the ankles and wrists. In addition, you will receive a full Body Composition Report, which you will be taken through step-by-step.

If you would like help achieving your ideal body compspition or optimum nutrition, please come and see me at Bridgford & Bingham Nutrition.

Happy eating,

Nina Thomas

BSc (Hons), MSc, ANutr

Registered Associate Nutritionist & Food Scientist

Bridgford & Bingham Nutrition           

21 Brickyard Lane

East Bridgford

Nottingham

NG13 8NJ

Call: 07958 765337

​www.bridgfordbinghamnutrition.co.uk