A
s we age, our bodies start to lose muscle mass; as more sedentary behavior is adopted, this rate of loss increases, exacerbating age-related risk of injury.
By regularly using the InBody 570 you can see if you are building or losing muscle/bone and can measure each segment of the body. You want to make sure that your strength training program and your nutrition is keeping your muscle mass up and in the right areas. Remember this is a
FREE
service offered by Shape-Up.
As the population continues to live longer, preservation of lean mass becomes an integral part of maintaining one’s independence and quality of life. Loss of muscle in the arms and legs is associated with reductions in mobility, increased risk of falls and frailty, and prolonged length of hospital stay.
Tr
acking changes in weight is a poor method for monitoring changes in health status. Muscle mass cannot be detected using the BMI method commonly used, as the loss of muscle may be masked by fat gain (
skinny fat
). InBody provides accurate measures of body composition, including muscle-fat balance, percent body fat and visceral fat, allowing a better tracking method of physiological changes. This in-depth analysis provides an edge for identifying health risks and preventing progression to chronic diseases associated with muscle-fat imbalances.
As lifestyle patterns shift, physical activity is reduced, and poor dietary habits can result in both muscle loss and fat gain. Weight may remain stable as these body composition changes occur, making it difficult to track changes in health status using weight or BMI. Indeed, as sedentary behavior persists over time, the continuous loss of muscle and gain of fat results in a severe muscle-fat imbalance, a condition known as
sarcopenic obesity
. This phenomenon combines the adverse effects of both sarcopenia and obesity, significantly increasing long-term health risk and risk of mortality; however, this is not adequately reflected by BMI. Instead, monitoring the balance between muscle and fat as well as percent body fat (PBF) can help identify your current health status and to guide your recommendations.
In addition to muscle-fat balance and PBF, it is important to monitor fat distribution.
Visceral fat
comprises the fat located in the abdominal region, surrounding and protecting vital organs. It is metabolically active and increased visceral fat storage has been associated with a variety of chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. With a comprehensive evaluation of body composition, including muscle mass and fat distribution, trainers and physicians can track physiological changes and recommend better exercise and nutritional programs..
