The Bod Pod: A Unique Opportunity

In regards to Nutrition Assessment, there are typically five categories in which people can use to interpret nutritional health. These are known commonly as the “ABCDE’s of Nutritional Assessment” First is Anthropometrics, which includes measurement of body weight and lengths, circumference, and body composition. Next is Biochemical, comprised of biochemical functions such as blood and urine samples. Clinical is another form of assessment, which is the common body appearance examination. Checking eyes, ears, skin and reflexes would all fall under this category. Then there is Dietary Assessment, which examines one’s food choices and reflects on their dietary history. Lastly is Environmental which looks at how one’s living conditions and surroundings impact their diet.

Recently I had the opportunity to be a participant in a body composition assessment at my college. I was taking part in an Anthropometric assessment by means of a very highly accurate piece of equipment known as the BodPod. This piece of equipment measures body fat percentage through air displacement and can detect lean versus fat mass in this way. This test takes approximately 3 minutes and is a quick and easy way to gain insight into your muscle and fat composition. I was able to participate in this body composition study because I am a Nutritional Sciences major and the graduate students at my college were practicing taking measurements.

A graduate student began by taking my height and weight, as well as waist and arm circumference. The graduate student also used skinfold calipers on my stomach, arm, and thigh. Then I went into the bod pod and was able to find out how much of my body was fat and muscle, and which body fat category I fell into. It is highly important to wear spandex or tight fitting clothes to ensure accuracy in the bod pod. The different rankings are as follows for women: Essential Fat (10-12%), Athlete (14-20%), Fitness (21-24%), Acceptable (25-31%), and At-Risk (>32%). These values are slightly different in males as females typically have a higher body fat percentage.The BodPod was also able to tell me my Resting Metabolic Rate, which is the approximate number of calories burned when your body is completely at rest. The opportunity to sit in the bod pod was highly educational and something not very many people are given the chance to take part in. This experience was something I can take with my throughout my future career as a Registered Dietitian.

Written By:

Elizabeth Hoffman, Nutrition Intern Fall 2021

Works Cited:

Name. “Bod Pod Body Composition Testing Available at INLIV in Calgary.” INLIV, 19 Jan. 2021, https://www.inliv.com/how-does-the-bod-pod-work/.

Ahmad, Iftikhar. (2019). ABCDE OF COMMUNITY NUTRITIONAL ASSESSMENT. Gomal Journal of Medical Sciences. 17. 10.46903/gjms/17.02.2059.