Scale weight alone provides little information about a person's body fat, lean weight, or measure health. Body composition analysis can form the basis for a wide variety of therapeutic health and fitness prescriptions. Only body composition analysis can determine how much muscle or lean index, fat or percent body fat, and body water are lost or gained as the result of a health care professional's recommendation. An accurate measurement of these parameters is required to exercise professional judgment. Forget skin-fold calipers and the impractical hydrostatic scales and enter the Valhalla BC1 using Bioelectrical Impedance Body Composition Analysis and Ohms Modulation Logic (OML).

According to Wikipedia, bioimpedance is a term used to describe the response of a living organism to an externally applied electric current. It is a measure of the oppostion to the flow of that electric current through the tissues, the opposite of electrical conductivity. The measurement of the bioimpedance (or bioelectrical impedance) of the humans and animals has proved useful as a non-invasive method for measuring such things as blood flow (often referred to as bioimpedance plethysmography) and body composition ( known as bioelectrical impedance analysis or simply BIA).

At Valhalla, for the academically curious, this translates to:

Where:

V is volume of the conductor and elates to TBW

ρ is a fluid conductivity constant

L is the length of the conductor

Z is the measured impedance

More specifically, Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) measures the impedance or opposition to the flow of an electric current through the body fluids contained mainly in the lean and fat tissue. Lean tissues contain electrically conductive cellular fluids and electrolytes while fatty tissues contained extremely small amounts of conductive fluids. Impedance to current flow or bio-resistance is then low in lean tissue and high in fatty tissues. Consequently, bioimpedance is thus proportional to body water volume (TBW).

The Valhalla BC1 Body Composition Scale uses a small constant current of 500uA at a 50KHz frequency, which is passed between electrodes handles through the hands gripping the handles. The internal electronics measures voltage drop between electrodes and calculates the body’s impedance. The BC1 Body Composition Scale measures and inputs weight into the Prediction Equation. Height, gender and age are also added to Prediction Equations previously generated from the regression analysis of thousands of laboratory measurements to accurately predict total Body Water (TBW). TBW is subsequently used in the calculation of Lean Body Mass. Fat mass is calculated as the difference between body weight and lean body mass. Academic validation has proven the BC1 to match up against Hydrostatic weighing to within 1%~2%.

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.

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 BC1i Body Composition Scales readily solves this measurement problem.

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.

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 body composition analyzer, model BC1. 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 BC1 has 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.

• Requires no disrobing - Keep your shoes on!
• No training necessary than one minute including printouts.
• Accurate for athletes, bodybuilders, elderly and the obese.
• Portable.
• Ohms modulation logic onboard.
• No assembly required.

• Body fat reading accurate to within +- 2.5% of underwater weighing

• Total Body Weight
• Fat Mass
• Fat Free Mass
• Total Body Water
• Resting Enerdy Expenditure
• Percentage Over Ideal Body Weight
• Disease Propensities and Related Risk
• Customized Report Available

Body Fat Percentage or Percent Body Fat is the ratio of fat contained in your body in relation to your total weight. To illustrate this, a 180 pound man that is determined to have 20% body fat would have 36 pounds of fat and 144 pounds of everything else consisting of bone, muscle, organ tissue, blood, hair, nails and miscellaneous body fluids. The BCS 1 Body Fat Scales takes all of this into account, weighs the individual and presents the Percent Body Fat results.

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.

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.

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 Bio-Impedance Body Composition Scale (Analyzer), model BC1.

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 BC1 has 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.

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 body composition analyzer, model BC1. 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 BC1 has 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 BC1.

Valhalla Scientific, Inc. was the first to recognize the methodology flaw and designed the BC1 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 Body Composition Scale BC1 is ideal for processing large volumes of subjects for use in field testing i.e. at Health fairs, and other community outreach programs. The BC1 is battery-powered portable.

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."

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 Valhalla BC1 will tell you how many of each you have thereby providing an opportunity to do something to improve the good/bad ratio.

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?

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.

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.

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.

American Society of Bariatric Physicians (ASBP)

Formed in 1950, The American Society of Bariatric Physicians is a non profit international professional medical association headquartered in Aurora, Colorado. In 2000, the AMERICAN SOCIETY OF BARIATRIC PHYSICIANS achieved its long-standing goal of being awarded a seat in the House of Delegates of the American Medical Association.

The American Society of Bariatric Physicians is an international association and allied health care professionals with special interest and experience in the comprehensive treatment of overweight, obesity and related disorders. Our purpose is to establish and maintain practice guidelines, and provide education to our members, the health care industry and the public.

First adopted in 1979 and revised several times since then, suggest treating overweight and obesity through a comprehensive program of:

1. Proper diet and nutrition
2. Appropriate exercise
3. Lifestyle changes (behavior modification)
4. Prescription anti-obesity medications and other drugs and supplements (when indicated)

The AMERICAN SOCIETY OF BARIATRIC PHYSICIANS’ Bariatric Practice Guidelines provide recommendations for the initial work-up and follow-up of patients and including history, physical examination, diagnostic studies that include laboratory work and an EKG, appropriate counseling, and the use of prescription medications if indicated.

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF BARIATRIC PHYSICIANS has also developed the Anorectic Usage Guidelines for the use of these medications. While the use of prescription medications may produce identified side effects, the health risks of remaining overweight far exceed the risks of the medications.

The American Society of Bariatric Physicians does not endorse or promote any weight loss products, services or medications whether over the counter or prescription. Through its continuing medical education programs and publications AMERICAN SOCIETY OF BARIATRIC PHYSICIANS exposes its members to cutting edge technology in the medical weight loss field to enable physician members to design effective treatment programs for their patients.

Patients wishing to lose weight may contact a member physician in their area through AMERICAN SOCIETY OF BARIATRIC PHYSICIANS’ Physician Referral Program.

The AMERICAN SOCIETY OF BARIATRIC PHYSICIANS may be contacted at:
2821 S. ParkerRd., Ste. 625, Aurora, CO 80014,Tel: 1-877-266-6834