Measuring body fat accurately is essential for health and fitness assessments. Methods range from simple calipers to sophisticated imaging techniques, offering varying levels of accuracy and accessibility.
Reliable body fat measurement enables the tracking of progress towards fitness goals, early detection of obesity-related health risks, and the optimization of treatment plans. Historically, the first practical method for measuring body fat, underwater weighing, was developed in the 1940s by researchers Behnke and Consolazio.