At Avera Functional & Integrative Medicine and Avera Comprehensive Weight Management, their goal is to not only help you lose weight or live with less pain, but to thrive in life.
One tool they use is the Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) machine. This machine captures a variety of information regarding a patient’s body in a moment, which can help a person identify and improve various aspects of their health.
“It helps our patients looking to improve their body’s functional health, not simply lose weight, whether by surgical or nonsurgical efforts,” said Becky Hanzen, a certified health educator. “Our clinic is about helping people feel better in their body — helping them prioritize themselves and thrive.”
There are four core areas the experts focus on to improve patients’ well-being: nutrition, exercise, proper sleep and stress management. Based on your findings from the BIA machine, and digging into your current habits, you can identify the things that don’t serve you well and narrow in on the strategies that can help you live and feel better.
So I tried the Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis machine — and learned some surprising things about my body. I also received some beginner ideas of how to improve.
How the BIA Machine Works
Your part while using the machine is effortless. Just stand barefoot over marked feet areas and grip the handles. After your coach enters in your date of birth and height, the machine is ready to perform.
A small, imperceptible electrical current is sent through your body (I barely felt a thing). Because of this current, people with a pacemaker or electrical stimulator for pain cannot use the BIA machine. (Also, it’s sanitized after every use.)
What the Machine Records
Within seconds, the machine records a volume of information about your body, which is computed with the added information of your age, height and waist circumference. It’s added to your mBCA profile and your provider’s records.
“This machine is set above and beyond what other typical gym BIA machines will show,” said Hanzen. Gathered information, and calculated information on your mBCA profile, includes:
- Weight
- Body mass index* – ratio between weight and height
- Fat mass index and percentage – the portion of body weight that is fat mass
- Fat-free mass index – the portion of body weight that is water, muscle and bone
- Skeletal muscle mass – the portion of body weight that is muscle in arms, legs and torso
- Skeletal muscle mass over age – how does muscle and bone mass compare to age
- Phase angle – a score given to cell quantity and quality; often used as a detective tool that links diet habits to muscle mass, function, water retention and inflammation
- Water ratio – measurement of the body’s total water, including how much is outside the cells
- Visceral adipose tissue – measurement of the fat surrounding the abdominal organs
- Appendicular skeletal muscle index by DXA – calculation of lean muscle mass
- Waist circumference – graph depicting where you stand in terms of waist circumference
- Body composition chart – graph depicting where you stand in terms of fat and skeletal muscle mass
- Segmental skeletal muscle mass – graph depicting where muscle mass sits on your body
- Bioelectrical impedance vector analysis – graph of the relationship between hydration and cellular health
- TRU body score – an overall score calculated from muscle and fat masses
- Energy expenditure (resting and total) – approximate value of how many daily calories you need and burn
*Though outdated, BMI can still be considered an initial flag for more in-depth analysis on a person’s health. Maybe a lower BMI indicates the person is malnourished, or perhaps a higher BMI could mean a person is at risk for high blood pressure. A person’s health requires further questions and testing.
How the BIA Machine Supports Your Health Journey
Getting a snapshot of where your health stands will allow you and your health coach to make the right goals. Here are some examples:
- If you have excess visceral fat, you could be at higher risk for cardiovascular diseases or diabetes. Your health coach can help you reconfigure your meals to eat fewer calories and lose weight.
- If you have less muscle mass in your upper body, you could eat more protein and focus on building upper body strength in the gym or at home. Learn about the importance of resistance training.
- A low score in phase angle indicates the body is retaining water and is in a state of inflammation. Your coach might ask further questions regarding how much water you’re drinking. You may need to increase water intake while also exercising harder, which encourages cells to let go of excess water.
“Between appointments, if you only make progress on one goal, that’s great,” said Hanzen. “It’s hard to change habits, so give yourself kudos for your work and progress.”
Prepping for the Appointment
Before stepping on the BIA machine, it’s ideal to fast for at least two hours. This means no food or drink — only water.
Also, since patients use the machine nearly every appointment, it’s a good idea to prepare in consistent ways on your appointment day. These include scheduling around the same time, wearing the same clothing, and remembering to fast. If you drink water, try to limit yourself to the same amount.
“The point isn’t to achieve a perfect, set point for our ever-changing bodies,” said Hanzen. “But learning more about how our bodies react to current habits can inspire incremental changes that can have real positive results for the future.”
It also helps patients realize that the scale number isn’t the only thing that matters. If the number goes up and its muscle, that’s a huge reason to celebrate. Increased muscle mass lights the fire of metabolism and will support independence for patients as they age.
My Results
In all honesty, my pride took a hit after receiving my results. On the surface, I felt OK about my health efforts, but digging deeper, I could do more to improve what’s going on inside of me.
The Good
- I am within a healthy weight range, and this includes my body fat percentage.
- Visceral adipose tissue, the fat surrounding my internal organs, is within an exceptional range. In general, I’m at lower risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions.
Areas of Improvement
- My phase angle was too low; I’m retaining fluid, which is contributing to inflammation. Perhaps I’m either not drinking enough water or drinking too much caffeine, a diuretic. If I drink more straight water (without flavor packets) and actually get a sweat in, my body cells will release excess water more readily. (Does sweating in a sauna count?)
- My skeletal muscle mass needs to increase — all over my body — and particularly around my waist and back. (This might be why my lower back hurts when I sit too long!) Hanzen suggested this can be remedied by eating more protein and incorporating more strenuous back and core exercises.
“There are many factors that go into overall health,” said Hanzen. “We want our patients to be thriving, not stuck in the numbers or just a single number.”
By Alyssa Waltman, Content Developer with Avera Marketing
Interested in a Bioanalysis?
Talk to a provider from Avera Functional & Integrative Medicine or Avera Comprehensive Weight Management to start an expert-guided journey in better health or weight loss.
