Body Composition

Body composition refers to the percentages of body weight that are comprised of fat and lean tissue. Body fat percentage is important for health-related fitness because individuals who have an excess amount of body fat are at greater risk of developing chronic diseases including cancer, coronary artery disease, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, and osteoarthritis. Body composition is more useful and descriptive than body mass index (BMI) because it discerns between fat and non-fat tissue in the body.

The recommended level of body fat percentage varies according to age and sex. In general, a percent body fat greater than 25% for men and greater than 30% for women is considered “overfat”. Recommended levels of body fat percentage are higher for women than for men because women naturally have a higher amount of “essential” body fat, which is a function of their reproductive physiology.

Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) Scan

Clinicians today consider dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) to be exceptional for measuring body composition because it accurately shows exactly where fat is distributed throughout the body. Lunar DEXA systems directly measure and calculate total fat, lean, and bone tissue instead of only estimating body composition.

Participants will lie flat on a padded table. You will need to remain very still during the scan. Our staff may place a wedge under your knees to help flatten your spine and position your hip. The scanner will move slowly across your body. The radiation dose from a DEXA scan is considered very low and safe, therefore our staff will be able to stay with you during the test.

Cost

DEXA-Total Body Scan, Body Composition Only

• $99.00
• We are unable to accept insurance as payment for any of our services.  Payment can be made via credit card on our online portal.

Interested? Next Steps:

• Have your physician complete the physician script form (PDF) and fax it to 614-688-3432.
• Once the form has been submitted to us, please email Teryn Bedell at bedell.387@osu.edu or Madison Kackley at kackley.19@osu.edu to schedule an appointment.
  • *Please note response times to requests may take a few weeks*.
• Testing appointments are 1 hour. Testing hours are Monday-Friday, 9am-3pm. However, there is limited availability for public scans on a weekly basis due to other research demands.
• Once you have scheduled your appointment, we will email you the payment link for our online portal.
• Please follow the pre-testing instructions below and arrive at least 5 minutes early. You can find directions here. We have Exercise Science Research reserved parking spaces in the parking lot behind our building. Our staff will meet you at the double doors on the left (when parked looking at the building) to provide a parking hangtag for your car and escort you to our labs for testing.
• Immediately after your test, you will receive a report with your scan results. It provides a breakdown of lean mass, fat mass, total body density, and estimated visceral adipose tissue and includes an image of your body denoting these areas (see example below).

Pre-Testing Instructions for DEXA Scan

• Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing without metal zippers, buttons, or underwires.
• Remove all jewelry, including necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings.
• Remove any metal objects, such as belly button piercings or other body piercings.
• If you have metal implants, please inform our staff.
• Abstain from taking vitamins, supplements, or antacids containing calcium 24-48 hours before the scan.