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Cedars-Sinai research have developed a simpler and more accurate method of estimating body fat than the used of body mass index BMI. This is a simple and inexpensive method to assess body fat percentage without using sophisticated equipment.
While the BMI is commonly accepted, many medical experts in the field of obesity consider it to be inaccurate because it cannot distinguish among bone mass, muscle mass and excess fat. BMI also does not account for the influence of gender-women generally have more body fat than men.
The new formula developed at Cedars-Sinai is called the relative fat mass index RFM, and it uses only height and waist circumference measurements. The results confirmed the value of the new formula in a large number of subjects: Relative fat mass is a better measure of body fatness.
Researchers examined more than 300 possible formulas for estimating body fat using a large database of 12,000 adults who participated in a health and nutrition survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They calculated the relative fat mass for 3,500 patients and compared the results to the patients’ outcomes from a specialized, high-tech body scan called DXA, widely considered one of the most accurate methods of measuring body tissue, bone, muscle and fat.
The patients’ RFM results corresponded most closely with the precision of the DXA body scan. The relative fat mass formula has now been validated in a large data base. It is a new index for measuring body fatness that can be easily accessible to treat overweight patients who often face serious health consequences like diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
To determine relative fat mass (RFM), measure height waist circumference. To measure waist, place the tape measure right at the top of the hip bone and reach it around the body for the most reliable result. Next, put those numbers into the relative fat mass equation-making a ratio out of the height and waist measurements. The formula is adjusted for gender:
Relative Fat Mass Formula
MEN: 64 – (20 x height/waist circumference) = RFM
WOMEN: 76 – (20 x height/waist circumference) = RFM