Weight-for-Height Chart

Detailed Information:
Many versions of this chart exist, showing different acceptable weight ranges for men and women. The 2000 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, published by the U.S Departments of Agriculture and Health and Humans Services, provides the most up-to-date weight-for-height chart.

Measurements of Body Fat

• The standard method to measure body fat is to weigh a person under water. This method is restricted to laboratories with the proper facilities.
• Another method for determining body fat is to measure the skin-fold thickness or to perform a bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Skin fold thickness tests measure the subcutaneous (just below the skin) fat at specific sites such as the triceps.
  
  In BIA, a low, harmless amount of electrical current is sent through the body. The body’s ability to conduct electrical currents reflects the total amount of water in the body. A higher percentage of body water generally indicates a larger amount of muscle and lean tissue. A mathematical equation can be used to translate the percent of body water measurement into an indirect estimate of body fat and lean body mass. To improve the accuracy of the test, the person being tested should fast for at least four hours and lie down for several minutes before testing.