Q & A

Q: What is Bioelectrical Impedance Body Composition Analysis and Ohms Modulation Logic?




Q: What is Lean Body Mass?




Q: What is Body Fat Percentage?




Q: What is Body Fat Assessment?




Q: What is Total Body Fat?




Q: What is the recommended Body Fat Percentage?




Q: How accurate and reliable are the BCS Series Body Composition Scales?

Q: What is Bioelectrical Impedance Body Composition Analysis and Ohms Modulation Logic?

A: The transformation of raw impedance data into body composition is achieved through the use of prediction equations or algorithms. Prediction algorithms are created by collecting the “raw impedance data” from a study population of people. This same study population has their body composition determined by alternative known standards such as radioisotope dilution or hydrostatic weighing. In this case, Valhalla has scientifically and collectively collected thousands and thousands of set of impedance data under laboratory controlled conditions. Linear regression analysis is then conducted on these data and used to create a prediction equation. This prediction equation generates an equivalent body composition analysis to the reference standard when the impedance data of a subject within the population study is entered into the equation. Valhalla has developed a proprietary predication equation incorporating Ohms Modulation Logic to create the most accurate Body Composition Scales available in the industry.
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Q: What is Lean Body Mass?

A: Lean Body Mass or fat free mass percentage is an scientific prediction of the percentage of the total body mass that is not composed of adipose tissue, referred to as Fat Mass, but rather is composed of muscle, bone, organ tissue, blood, and everything else. This index is often used as a means to monitor progress during a diet or as a measure of physical fitness for certain sports, such as body building. It is more accurate as a measure of excess body weight than body mass index (BMI) since it differentiates between the weight of muscle mass and that of the fat mass while BMI lump all masses into one figure. However, its popularity is less than BMI because equipment required to perform the body fat percentage is now readily available and with minimal skill required to perform the measurement. Valhalla's BCS Series Body Composition Scales readily solves this measurement problem.
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Q: What is Body Fat Percentage?

A: Total body fat percentage consists of essential fat and storage fat. Essential fat is that amount necessary for maintenance of life and reproductive functions. The percentage for women is greater than that for men, due to the demands of childbearing and other hormonal functions. Essential fat is 2-5% in men, and 10-13% in women. Storage fat consists of fat accumulation in adipose tissue, part of which protects internal organs in the chest and abdomen. The minimum recommended total body fat percentage exceeds the essential fat percentage value reported above.
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Q: What is Body Fat Assessment?

A: Only Body Composition Analysis can determine how much muscle or lean index, Body Fat or Percent Body Fat, and body water are lost or gained as the result of a health care professional's recommendations. Body Fat Assessment is derived as a component of Body Composition Analysis using scientifically proven Bio-Impedance Technology which is built into our Professional Body Fat Scales.
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Q: What is Total Body Fat?

A: Total Body Fat percentage consists of essential fat and storage fat. Essential Fat is that amount necessary for maintenance of life and reproductive functions. The Percentage of Body Fat for women is greater than men's Body Fat Percentage due to the demands of childbearing and other hormonal functions. Essential Fat Percentages for men and women is listed in the below chart. Body Storage Fat consists of fat accumulation in adipose tissue, part of which protects internal organs in the chest and abdomen. The minimum recommended Total Body Fat Percentage exceeds the Essential Body Fat Percentage value reported above. Please refer to the chart below.
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Q: What is the recommended Body Fat Percentage?

A: The American Council on Exercise lists the following guide line percentage classifications:

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Q: How accurate and reliable are the BCS Series Body Composition Scales?

A: It must be pointed out that many other scales, accepted as reliable, have not experienced academic validation nor or blessed by medical institutions and some are no more than fancy marketing tools. The BCS Series Scales have undergone extensive testing and validation through independent parties, Universities, USDA, etc., are found to be extremely accurate and repeatable. Please refer to our University Validation Study.
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Topics

Body Composition Analysis offers a better Barometer for Health

Body composition analysis is gaining popularity as a way to measure health, beyond measuring weight alone. Most health & fitness facilities offer some form of body composition analysis. Unfortunately many of these facilities are still using antiquated skin-fold calipers which date back to almost the turn of the century. To cope with the demand for quicker, easier and more accurate testing methods, Valhalla Scientific has responded by providing a new and improved bioimpedance BCS Series body composition analyzer. It must be pointed out that many others, accepted as reliable, have not experienced academic validation nor or blessed by medical institutions and some are no more than fancy marketing tools. The BCS Series have undergone extensive testing and validation through independent parties, Universities, USDA, etc., are found to be extremely accurate and repeatable. Please refer to our University Validation Study.

First introduced in early 1997, after 15 years experience in body composition analysis using bioimpedance technology, the Body Composition Scale provides health and fitness facilities the fastest, non-disrobing and accurate body composition analyzer on the market ever. Combining over 15 years of accepted bioimpedance device manufacturing, Valhalla Scientific, Inc. has taken this technology one step further. When discussing bioimpedance, it must be emphasized that most devices using this methodology experience a non-repeatable variability in test results due to subject's hydration levels. This is not the case for the BCS Series Scales. .
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The Ohms Modulation Logic Breakthrough

Valhalla Scientific, Inc. was the first to recognize the methodology flaw and designed the BCS Series Body Composition Scale utilizing Ohms Modulation Logic (OML) technology to circumvent this limitation. The body composition algorithm was derived from a data base that experienced thousands upon thousands of body composition test results.

With this mountain of evidence Valhalla recognized the disparity. Our feature of Ohms Modulation Logic has been scientifically proven to eliminate any need to adhere to any pretest conditions. Elimination of test result variation provides the Body Composition Scale with an unparalleled reproducibility and accuracy of measurement.

The Body Composition Scale offers tremendous value as a stand-alone unit, however when adding the power of the printer, you are presented with detailed information regarding the person's current health assessment as related to body fat. The Body Composition Scale offers two health assessment printout options i.e. plain and illustrated. Plain paper reports offer summary information, while the illustrated print-outs offer detailed information highlighting total body water, lean muscle mass, fat mass, total body weight, resting energy expenditure, percentage over ideal weight, cancer propensities and life expectancy based on body fat percentage.

Many manufacturers have tried to duplicate the Body Composition's printouts, but the information and quality of the graphics has never been matched. The five pages are designed to educate and motivate clients/patients and evoke an "act now" response. Using this instilled urgency the illustrated health risk assessment forms have been proven to increase closing ratios for health clubs and weight control clinics. Although it is an intangible feature, the printouts create a perceived value that can only put you ahead of the competition. It should be mentioned, that all print-outs can be accomplished in under one minute. The BCS Series Body Composition Scale is ideal for processing large volumes of subjects for use in field testing i.e. at Health fairs, and other community outreach programs.
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What is Health Anyway?

Health is the level of functional and/or metabolic efficiency of an organism at both the micro(cellular) and macro(social) levels. In the medical field, health is commonly defined as an organism's ability to efficiently respond to challenges (stressors) and effectively restore and sustain a "state of balance", known as homeostasis.

Another widely accepted definition of health is that of the World Health Organization (WHO), which states that "health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity". In more recent years, this statement has been modified to include the ability to lead a "socially and economically productive life."
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Some Pounds are Definitely Better than Others!

The body consists of fat pounds and lean body mass or muscle pounds. Weighing alone just tells what they both add up to, while the BCS Series Body Composition Scale will tell you how many of each you have thereby providing an opportunity to do something to improve the good/bad ratio.
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Body Fat Percentage as a Fitness Indication

Packing around an excessive amount of body fat is a condition called obesity and, simply stated, puts a person at risk for many serious medical conditions including heart disease, diabetes and even certain forms of cancer. In fact, obesity contributes to at least half the chronic diseases in Western Society, encompassing heart disease, diabetes and even certain forms of cancer. Additionally, obesity contributes to at least half the chronic diseases in our society. Surprising isn't it?
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Obesity on the Attack

Obesity is a condition in which the natural energy reserve stored in the fatty tissue is increased to a point where it is associated with many poor health conditions and is documented to contribute to earlier mortality. Although obesity is an individual clinical condition, it is increasingly generally viewed as a serious and growing health issue as excessive body weight, especially body fat, has been shown to be predispose to various diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus type 2, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis and more.

Doctors and scientists classify men with more than 25% body fat and women with more than 30% body fat as obese and can expect to live a shorter life span. With Bioimpedance data to spur recognition of the risk factor, the opportunity for correction is afforded.
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Obesity Risk Factors

The presence of risk factors and diseases associated with obesity are also used to establish a clinical diagnosis. Coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and sleep apnea are possible life-threatening risk factors that would indicate clinical treatment of obesity.
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Obesity's Impact on on Health

While obesity itself is superficially of cosmetic concern, a large number of medical conditions have been associated with obesity. Disease associations may be dependent or independent of the distribution of adipose tissue. Central obesity (male-type or waist-predominant obesity, characterised by a high waist-hip ratio), is an important risk factor for the metabolic syndrome, the clustering of a number of diseases and risk factors that heavily predispose for cardiovascular disease. These are diabetes mellitus type 2, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and triglyceride levels (combined hyperlipidemia). There are alterations in the body's response to insulin (insulin resistance), a proinflammatory state and an increased tendency to thrombosis.
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Why fitness professionals choose The Body Comp Scale with OML technology

As a fitness facility operator and professional, a demand exists for a body composition analyzer that can be easily incorporated into current operations. Important criteria for this implementation would include a product that requires minimal operator training, with a high level of accuracy, hard copy results (printouts) and be extremely easy to use.

The Body Comp Scale is the only bioimpedance body composition analyzer on the market incorporating OML (Ohms Modulation Logic) technology. Essentially, we have developed a method of bioimpedance that eliminates variances in test results related to hydration status. With over 15 years of bioimpedance system manufacture, we are once again charting new territory as the innovator in this emerging science.

With new OML technology and portability, the Body Comp Scale presents a very powerful marketing tool. For off site promotions or to use in-house for first time visitors, evaluations utilizing The Body Comp have been proven to attract more customers, increase closing ratios and offer additional revenue streams.
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