DEXA Body Composition Scan

Do you have a healthy amount of body fat? The number on the scale alone isn't enough to know what shape your body is truly in.

The medical field uses a method called Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA or DEXA) to examine body composition. This machine scans the body to reveal the precise amounts of muscle, fat, and bone.

If someone has a thin figure, a DEXA scan can reveal high body fat percentages (over 32% for women and 28% for men) and low muscle mass, a condition often referred to as "skinny fat." Excess visceral fat, particularly around the abdomen, usually results from an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise, increasing the risk of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

The results of a DEXA scan provide a clear picture of the proportions of bone, fat, and muscle, offering valuable information for health care planning and annual health examinations.

Additionally, it can track the effectiveness of exercise regimes in increasing muscle mass or reducing fat mass more accurately than other methods.