Body Composition: How to Understand Your Ideal Body Shape

A person may appear ideal in appearance, with a slim and tall body. However, such an image doesn't necessarily reflect a healthy body. Therefore, it's important to check your body composition. For those of you who are concerned about your health, on a diet, or exercising, be sure to first understand the health of your body from within, not just its external appearance.

So, how do you understand an ideal and healthy body composition? Let's learn more about body composition in this article.

What is Body Composition?

Body composition is a snapshot of your body's proportions of fat and fat-free mass (muscle, bone, water, and organs), based on the ratio of fat mass to fat-free mass (FFM). For example, two people may have the same weight, but their body composition may differ based on the percentage of fat and muscle mass.

Therefore, body composition is very helpful in understanding optimal body condition. So, why isn't measuring the Body Mass Index (BMI) alone sufficient? Because BMI cannot differentiate between the body's fat and muscle levels as a whole, as body composition does.

Main components in measuring body composition:

• Body fat: includes subcutaneous (under the skin) and visceral (around the organs) fat.
• Skeletal muscle mass: it drives metabolism, supports posture, and gives the body shape.
• Bone mineral content: influences skeletal strength.
• Water (total body water): 45–60% of body weight, which functions for cells and body performance.

Benefits of Knowing your Body Composition

Understanding body composition is the first step in knowing your health condition. What are the benefits of understanding your body composition?

• Accurate and detailed results: Results can be more accurate than those from a regular scale. You can understand your overall health, especially if you're on a diet or exercise program.
• Helps you achieve your body goals: Looking well-proportioned and achieving your dream body goals can start by measuring your body composition, such as fat content, muscle mass, and body water.
• Avoiding health risks: The benefits of checking body composition can be an indicator of health risks if you have excess fat, such as diabetes or heart disease.
• Improving performance and energy: It can be an indicator for improving performance and energy, especially during exercise programs, to improve stamina. That's why athletes need body composition information to maintain their stamina.
• Maintaining a long-term healthy lifestyle: Monitoring your fat and muscle mass can motivate you to maintain a healthy lifestyle, such as a healthy diet and regular exercise. This is an important way to invest in your long-term life.

How is Body Composition Measured?

Modern methods for calculating ideal body composition are widely used in hospitals and clinics to monitor patient conditions. Several common methods for measuring body composition are:

• BIA (Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis): BIA works by passing a very small electrical current through the body, then measuring the electrical resistance to estimate water volume, fat, and muscle mass. The advantages of BIA are that it is practical, fast, and relatively inexpensive, suitable for use at home or during exercise. However, results can sometimes be affected by body moisture levels, menstrual cycles, and food or caffeine consumption.
• Skinfold Caliper: A small skinfold caliper measures the thickness of fat in various parts of the body, such as the abdomen and thighs, and then calculates body fat percentage. This method is relatively inexpensive and quite accurate, but it must be performed by a trained person to ensure consistent measurement results. Another lack of this tool is that it is unable to detect visceral fat.
• DEXA Scan (Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry): A DEXA scan uses low-dose X-rays to map fat, muscle, and bone mineral content in each part of the body. The results are highly detailed because they can simultaneously assess fat distribution and bone density. This tool is commonly used in clinics or hospitals.
• ADP (Bod Pod) & Hydrostatic Weighing: This method evaluates body composition through density, which measures changes in air or water volume. The results are highly accurate, making them suitable for research. However, the procedure is quite rigorous and impractical for daily monitoring. Therefore, this method is not commonly used in everyday practice.
• Ultrasound & 3D Body Scan: These two methods utilize modern, innovative, and accurate technology. Ultrasound can help map fat/muscle thickness in specific parts of your body. Meanwhile, the 3D Body Scan that patients can try at the akasia 365mc center can help analyze body circumference and provide composition estimates through detailed predictive models.

What is the Ideal Body Composition?

There's no one-size-fits-all ideal. A healthy body composition is influenced by gender, age, ethnic background, health, and performance. Here are some general guidelines:

• Healthy men: 10–20% body fat percentage.
• Healthy women: 18–28% body fat percentage.

Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Body Composition

• Regular movement or physical activity, such as a combination of cardio and weight training, can help build muscle and burn fat.
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet with adequate portions of protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
• Avoid stress and get enough sleep, at least 7 hours a day.
• Avoid excessive dieting without consulting a nutrition specialist.

Facts About Body Composition

• Is body composition the same as BMI? No. BMI only measures height and weight, while body composition measures the proportion of fat versus fat-free mass.
• How often should I measure? For daily lifestyle needs, once every 1–4 weeks is sufficient.
• How to reduce visceral fat? Create a calorie deficit, engage in regular physical activity (combination of endurance and strength training), get enough sleep, manage stress, and eat foods rich in complex carbohydrates and fiber.

Check Your Body Composition at akasia 365mc

You can check your body composition at the akasia 365mc center using a 3D Body Scan and BIA. This method provides patients with accurate information about fat percentage, muscle mass, and water content across various body areas. Patients who haven’t or have done the LAMS procedure at akasia 365mc usually do the body composition test.

Find out about treatments and locations at akasia 365mc centers in Jakarta and Surabaya to learn about your body composition and other treatments. Be sure to consult with an akasia 365mc doctor before undergoing treatment.