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A Simplified Method
of
Bodyfat Determination


Background:
One of the most important factors in Living Longer and Better is the percentage of body fat. Those individuals with central obesity or "fat around the middle" have increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and other metabolic diseases. They also have a shortened life expectancy.

There are many ways to determine one's body fat.

  1. One method involves submersion in water: Your weight and volume are calculated.
  2. A second involves calipers to measure subcutaneous fat deposits in the body.
  3. A third method involves the electrical impedance: the conduction difference of
    a low voltage through the body. Muscle is more conductive than fat.

  4. Relative Measurements can compare ratios of waist, hip, wrist, height and weight.
    Specific charts have been developed to determine approximate bodyfat.
ONE of these METHODS

of RELATIVE MEASUREMENTS

is included below so that you can

DETERMINE YOUR

BODYFAT PERCENTAGE at HOME!

STEP 1: MAKE the appropriate MEASUREMENTS

  1. HEIGHT in inches: ______________

  2. HIPS in inches: ________________

  3. WAIST in inches: _______________

  4. WRIST in inches: _______________

  5. WEIGHT in pounds: _____________

STEP 2: DETERMINE the INDIVIDUAL'S SEX:......FEMALE..... or .......MALE


FEMALE BODYFAT DETERMINATION

CALCULATE these MEASUREMENTS

Multiple the HIPS(hips in inches)______x 1.40 = ___________[Number-1]

Multiple WAIST (waist in inches)______x 0.72= ___________[Number-2]

ADD NUMBER-1 AND NUMBER-2 ________

Multiple HEIGHT(height in inches)_____x 0.61= ___________[Number-3]

FROM THE TOTAL OF #1 and #2, TAKE AWAY NUMBER #3,
AND THEN TAKE AWAY 10 MORE!

NUMBERS1+2[................] - NUMBER-3 [................] -10 = _________

This is the approximate percentage of body fat in the FEMALE.....................

The following chart is an approximation of IDEAL BODY WEIGHT for WOMEN in 1983.

Height......Small Frame...... Medium Frame...... Large Frame
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4'9" ...........99-108..............106-118..............115-128
4'10"........100-110..............108-120..............117-131
4'11"........101-112..............110-123..............119-134
5' 0".........103-115..............112-126..............122-137
5' 1".........105-118..............116-129..............125-140
5' 2".........108-121..............118-132..............128-144
5' 3".........111-124..............121-135..............131-148
5' 4".........114-127..............124-138..............134-152
5' 5".........117-130..............127-141..............137-156
5' 6".........120-133..............130-144..............140-160
5' 7".........123-136..............133-147..............143-164
5' 8".........126-139..............136-150..............146-167
5' 9".........129-142..............139-153..............149-170
5'10"........132-145..............152-156..............152-173
5'11"........135-148..............145-159..............155-176



WHAT SHOULD THE AVERAGE FEMALE PERCENTAGE BODYFAT BE? __________________________________________________________________________
Average American Female...............................32%
Ideal Female....................................................22%
Average Anorexic Female................................10%
Gymnast, Racquetball players..........................15%
Athletic Females..............................................16-20%

CONTINUE for ADDITIONAL INFORMATION



MALE BODY FAT DETEMINATION


SUGGESTED: METHODOLOGY - MAKE THE CALCULATIONS
WAIST in inches_________ minus WRIST in inches________= ____________

LOOK at the CURVI-LINEAR LINES that drop from left to right.

  1. MATCH ONE of these lines to the WAIST-WRIST measurement.
  2. DETERMINE where this line crosses the WEIGHT column (weight on bottom).
  3. READ the PERCENTAGE BODYFAT off the left side of the CHART where #1 and #2 cross.



bodyfat chart


WHAT SHOULD THE AVERAGE MALE PERCENTAGE BODYFAT BE?

__________________________________________________________________________
Average American Male.................................23%
Ideal Male......................................................15%
Gymnast,Wrestlers, Body builders....................5%
Triathletes, Racquetball, Soccer.......................8%
Swimmers, distance runners............................10%
Football and most basketball players...............13%


LIFE TABLES FOR IDEAL MEN'S BODY WEIGHT, 1983


Height......Small Frame...... Medium Frame...... Large Frame
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5' 1".........123-134..............126-136..............133-145
5' 2".........125-131..............128-138..............135-148
5' 3".........127-133..............130-140..............137-151
5' 4".........129-135..............132-143..............139-155
5' 5".........131-137..............134-146..............141-159
5' 6".........133-140..............137-149..............145-163
5' 7".........135-143..............140-152..............144-167
5' 8".........137-145..............143-155..............150-171
5' 9".........139-149..............146-158..............153-175
5'10"........141-152..............149-161..............156-179
5'11"........144-155..............152-165..............159-183
6'.............147-159..............155-169..............163-187
6'1"..........150-163..............159-173..............167-192
6'2"..........153-167..............162-177..............171-197
6'3"..........157-171..............166-182..............176-202


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Installed: July 1, 1996
Updated: