Jesse Garcia | Contributing Writer

Have you ever wondered what the number on a weighing scale actually meannt when you stepped on it? In today’s society it seems we worry a lot about how much we weigh and we want to get that number to the lowest amount we possibly can. However, one must know the number doesn’t just mean how much fat is on your body. A body composition test can help determine what exactly the number means. This year with the help of Assistant Professor of Exercise Science Bev Ahern and Assistant Professor of Exercise Science and Athletic Training Matt Hanson, Buena Vista University (BVU) was able to acquire a body composition machine, the InBody 230.

“The InBody scanner is a body composition tool which can be used to accurately assess body fat percentage, lean muscle mass, body water, and limb mass measurements,” Hanson said.

Hanson’s reasoning for the machine being brought in consisted of a few different reasons besides the fact that it can be cool and interesting for students to use.

“It can be used for classes as a teaching tool. Health professionals and physical educators both must learn to use such machines and interpret results. It can also be used for research. One additional benefit is that is can be used as an educational tool for the entire campus,” Hanson said.

“The ultimate goal is to allow our students to become knowledgeable about the technology available in our society to collect data on their personal well-being. The data helps individuals make personal goals, monitor their own health status, and helps them to be professionals. [This is] an opportunity to gain knowledge and experience with this type of a measuring device and understanding of what to do after the data is collected,” Ahern said.

“The machine can help the individual recognize risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, etc.,” Hanson said.

Both Hanson and Ahern explained that anyone wanting to use the machine can contact either one of them.

The machine is structured so that information such as weight, height, and age are entered and works just like any regular scale you step on. The machine then notifies you when to hold the handles it has extending out and proceeds to scan your body for about one minute. The machine can also tell you how much lean mass is in each extremity (arms and legs) and in the torso using a diagram within the results printed after the scan is complete.

The machine is highly recommended to anyone interested in seeing where they stand, and it’ll even help you create and work towards improving your health and fitness level.

Photos by David Ekstrom
Video by Kamsa Thephavong

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