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General Information on Body Fat, Water, Muscle Mass,
Bone Mass and Calorie Demand
The basic principle of these scales is founded on measuring the electrical impedance of the
body. The scales send a weak, undetectable electrical signal through the body in order to de-
termine the current values. Under normal circumstances, the signal is completely harmless!
This measurement is also known as "biometric impedance analysis" (BIA). This is a factor which
is linked to the ratio between body fat and water and is also governed by other biological as-
pects (age, gender, size). There are heavy people with a balanced ratio between fat and muscle
mass, and there are apparently slim people with much higher body fat values.
The Body Fat and Water Content
Too much body fat places a strain on the body and in particular the circulatory system. Nev-
ertheless, fat is an important constituent of the body. It plays an important role in the human
body, from protecting the joints and providing a vitamin reserve through to regulating body
temperature. The aim is not therefore to drastically reduce the amount of fat in the body, but
to establish and maintain a balanced ratio between muscle mass and fat mass.
The fat mass also influences the water content in the body. The body largely consists of water.
In women the water content accounts for around 45 to 60% of their overall weight, and in
men the figure is roughly 50 to 70%. As fat tissue contains little water, the water content is
generally lower if the fat content is higher.
The body fat and water content may fluctuate depending on the level of water retention in the
body, lifestyle and daily habits. For example, the fat content is higher in the morning and the
water content lower as the body tends to become dehydrated over the course of the night
and to collect liquid in the upper body. During the day, the liquid then spreads out homogene-
ously throughout the body.
And the following circumstances can also change the fat and water content in the body:
– Bathing
– Eating and/or drinking
– Menstruation
– Sport/sweating
– Taking tablets
– Going to the toilet
The Muscle Mass Content
The muscle mass is defined as the total sum of all the muscles in the body. Muscles are re
-
sponsible both for the physical movement of the human body and for the transport of organic
substances within the body, e. g. blood and food. Monitoring the muscle mass is particularly im-
portant for overweight people or people who have a high body fat content as muscles help to
burn off fat. The reduction in the body fat content should therefore always be accompanied by
a build-up of muscle, that is to say an increase in the muscle mass content, in order to obtain a
healthy ratio between fat and muscles in the body.
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