Skip to main navigation Skip to main content Skip to footer For Medicare For Providers For Brokers For Employers Español For Individuals & Families: For Individuals & Families Medical Dental Other Supplemental Explore coverage through work How to Buy Health Insurance Types of Dental Insurance Open Enrollment vs. Special Enrollment See all topics Shop for Medicare plans Member Guide Find a Doctor Log in to myCigna
Home Knowledge Center Wellness Library Body Fat Testing

Body Fat Testing

Test Overview

Body fat testing checks how much body fat you have. It may be done to find out if you have too much or too little body fat.

The test is one of the ways to measure healthy weight.

People who are trying to become more fit and lose weight sometimes use the test to check for changes in their body fat levels.

How It Is Done

How It Is Done

There are several ways to estimate body fat. The easiest and most popular ways to test are not as accurate as more expensive methods.

The least expensive and most popular tests include:

  • Skinfold thickness. A tool called a caliper is used to measure the thickness of fat at one or more places on your body. It is most accurate when a well-trained person measures fat thickness from several sites.
  • Bioelectrical impedance. A small electrical current is passed through your body to measure your body's electrical resistance. This resistance is used along with your height and weight to calculate your body fat. Results can vary based on how much water is in your body and where the electrodes are placed. You can buy some devices, including body fat scales, that calculate your percentage of body fat using this method.

More accurate tests are available, but they can be harder to find and can cost a lot. They include:

  • Underwater weighing. This is also called hydrodensitometry. It is based on the principle that fat tissue is less dense than muscle and bone.
  • DXA. This is also called dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. DXA is a type of X-ray that can tell how much fat tissue you have and where it is.
  • Air displacement plethysmography. This is similar to underwater weighing, but it uses air instead of water.
Results

Results

The results of a body fat test give an estimate of how much of your body weight comes from fat.

But body fat percentage is not the best way to measure your risk for weight-related diseases. Your doctor may suggest checking your BMI (body mass index) and your waist size instead. A higher BMI or waist size may mean that your weight is raising your risk for health problems.

Current as of: May 13, 2023

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Ignite Healthwise, LLC, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.

© 2024 Ignite Healthwise, LLC. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Ignite Healthwise, LLC.

Related Links

Weight Management Fitness: Getting and Staying Active

<cipublic-spinner variant="large"><span>Loading…</span></cipublic-spinner>

Page Footer

I want to...

Get an ID card File a claim View my claims and EOBs Check coverage under my plan See prescription drug list Find an in-network doctor, dentist, or facility Find a form Find 1095-B tax form information View the Cigna Glossary Contact Cigna

Audiences

Individuals and Families Medicare Employers Brokers Providers

Secure Member Sites

myCigna member portal Health Care Provider portal Cigna for Employers Client Resource Portal Cigna for Brokers

The Cigna Group Information

About Cigna Healthcare Company Profile Careers Newsroom Investors Suppliers The Cigna Group Third Party Administrators International Evernorth

 Cigna. All rights reserved.

Privacy Legal Product Disclosures Cigna Company Names Customer Rights Accessibility Non-Discrimination Notice Language Assistance [PDF] Report Fraud Sitemap Cookie Settings

Disclaimer

Individual and family medical and dental insurance plans are insured by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (CHLIC), Cigna HealthCare of Arizona, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Illinois, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Georgia, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of North Carolina, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of South Carolina, Inc., and Cigna HealthCare of Texas, Inc. Group health insurance and health benefit plans are insured or administered by CHLIC, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (CGLIC), or their affiliates (see a listing of the legal entities that insure or administer group HMO, dental HMO, and other products or services in your state). Accidental Injury, Critical Illness, and Hospital Care plans or insurance policies are distributed exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, are administered by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, and are insured by either (i) Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (Bloomfield, CT); (ii) Life Insurance Company of North America (“LINA”) (Philadelphia, PA); or (iii) New York Life Group Insurance Company of NY (“NYLGICNY”) (New York, NY), formerly known as Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York. The Cigna name, logo, and other Cigna marks are owned by Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc. LINA and NYLGICNY are not affiliates of Cigna.

All insurance policies and group benefit plans contain exclusions and limitations. For availability, costs and complete details of coverage, contact a licensed agent or Cigna sales representative. This website is not intended for residents of New Mexico.

Selecting these links will take you away from Cigna.com to another website, which may be a non-Cigna website. Cigna may not control the content or links of non-Cigna websites. Details