Completely sufficient data on the amount of fat in the body can be obtained using the Bioimpedance method, which is a non-invasive, easy-to-use, cheap and practical method. It has obvious advantages for evaluating body tissue proportion data in epidemiological studies.

In the diagnosis of adiposity, not only the relative content of body fat %BF (body fat), but also the anatomical location of adipose tissue is of increasing importance. It is visceral fat: mesenteric and liver fat, lipid fractions in blood, fat in muscle tissue can be the cause of several serious health problems - type 2 diabetes, various cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, gall bladder diseases, various types of oncological diseases. Waist circumference, which correlates with visceral obesity, is the most important criterion for assessing risk factors for obesity-related diseases.

Research in the improvement of methods is developing, and new criteria are being developed for assessing the risk of obesity-related diseases.

The location of adipose tissue is of vital importance in the body. It has been discovered that fatty tissue in the cells that form in the upper body and abdominal area are more dangerous to health than those located in the hips and thighs. There are two types of adipose tissue arrangement - gynoid (feminine) or pear-shaped and android (masculine) or apple-shaped. ( see fig.)

ASSESSMENT OF THE RELATIVE QUANTITY OF FATTY TISSUE

The normal amount of fat in a man's body is between 8 and 18%, if the amount of fat exceeds 25%, it is already pronounced obesity.

For women, these numbers are more tolerant - normal 14-25%, the last limit that is still acceptable - 30%.

Practically, the easiest way to check it is by taking the mentioned folds of skin between the thumb and forefinger. If their thickness exceeds the parameters of the side of a matchbox, it is recommended to reduce the amount of subcutaneous fat.

The question of the lower limit of the norm is controversial, because there are cases when the amount of adipose tissue is reduced in a normal, healthy person. Such a scene is often observed in athletes, especially in sports that require a lot of endurance, for example, cross-country skiers, runners.

ASSESSMENT OF THE RELATIVE AMOUNT OF FATTY TISSUE DETERMINED BY THE IMPEDANCE METHOD

WOMEN

MEN

BMI WHO guidelines ( Gallather et al . 2000 )