20
Muscle percentage
The muscle percentage is normally within the following ranges:
Male
Female
Age
Low
Normal
High
Age
Low
Normal
High
10-14
<44 %
44 – 57%
>57%
10-14
<36 %
36 – 43%
>43%
15-19
<43 %
43 – 56%
>56%
15-19
<35 %
35 – 41%
>41%
20 – 29
<42%
42 – 54%
>54 %
20 – 29
<34%
34 – 39%
>39%
30 – 39
<41%
41 – 52%
>52%
30 – 39
<33%
33 – 38%
>38%
40 – 49
<40%
40 – 50%
>50%
40 – 49
<31%
31– 36%
>36%
50 – 59
<39%
39 – 48%
>48%
50 – 59
<29%
29 – 34%
>34%
60 – 69
<38%
38 – 47%
>47%
60 – 69
<28%
28 – 33%
>33%
70-100
<37 %
37 – 46%
>46%
70-100
<27%
27 – 32%
>32%
Bone mass
Like the rest of our body, our bones undergo natural processes of growth, breakdown and ageing. Bone
mass increases rapidly during childhood and reaches its peak between 30 and 40 years. As you age, your
bone mass starts to gradually decline. If you have a healthy diet (particularly calcium and vitamin D) and
regularly exercise, you can slow this process down. You can also strengthen the stability of your skeletal
structure using targeted muscle growth. Please note that this scale does measure minerals of bones. Bone
mass is very difficult to modify but does vary slightly as a result of influencing factors (weight, height, age,
sex). There are no recognised guidelines and recommendations available.
BMR
The basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of energy required by the body at complete rest in order to
maintain its basic functions (e.g. when lying in bed 24 hours a day). This value is primarily dependent on
weight, height and age.
It is displayed on the diagnostic scale in the unit kcal/day and calculated using the scientifically recog-
nised Harris-Benedict equation.
This is the amount of energy that is required by your body under all circumstances and must be re-sup-
plied to the body in the form of food. If your energy intake is below this level in the longer term, this can
result in damage to health.
AMR
The active metabolic rate (AMR) is the amount of energy that the active body consumes each day. An indi-
vidual’s energy requirement increases when the level of physical activity increases; the diagnostic scale
calculates this by means of the activity level (1– 5) that has been entered.
To maintain the current weight, the energy that the body uses must be replaced in the form of food and drink.
If less energy is taken in than is used over a long period of time, the body takes the difference from the fat
stores with resulting weight loss. However, if the amount of energy taken in exceeds the calculated active
metabolic rate (AMR) for a longer period, the body cannot burn off the excess energy. The excess is stored
in the body as fat, leading to weight gain.
Temporal context of the results
Please note that only the long-term trend is important. Brief deviations in weight within a few days
are normally caused by loss of fluids.
The interpretation of the results is based on changes in total body weight, percentage of body fat, body water
and muscle content, as well as on the length of time over which these changes occur.
Rapid changes within the scope of a few days are to be considered separately from medium-term
changes (in the scope of weeks) and long-term changes (months).
It can be said as a basic rule that short-term changes in weight are almost entirely changes in water content,
whereas medium-term and long-term changes may also relate to the fat percentage and the muscle percentage.
• If your weight drops in the short term but your body fat percentage increases or stays the same, you
have only lost water, for example following a training session, visit to the sauna or a diet aimed only at
fast weight loss.
