Cedar Crest Health&Wellness

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Healthy U?

Why is measuring body fat important?

How is body fat measured?

What does the information on my body fat analysis printout mean?

Why do women require more body fat to be healthy?

Why don't my body composition numbers seem right?

What are the optimal conditions for measuring body fat?

Why can't I count sports drinks (or juices, milk, soda, etc) towards hydration?

Where can I find nutrition info for foods not in the food diary?

How many calories do I burn when I...?

What is Healthy U?

Under the umbrella of Cedar Crest's Health Connection initiative, the Healthy U program is a health and wellness contest, of sorts, to encourage individuals to make healthy lifestyle changes such as eating better, exercising more, or losing weight. When you sign up for the program, which runs each semester, you are able select from among a few different options to tailor the program to your own needs. Both students and staff may participate in the program, although there are some minor differences in the rules.

The goal of the contest is to amass points which are submitted on-line each month. You may earn points in many different categories such as for attending educational sessions sponsored by Healthy U, for calories burned through exercise, for pounds lost, or for setting and achieving goals. There are also points awarded for keeping an exercise log, for keeping a diary of what one eats, participating in ActivTrax, for eating five servings of fruits and vegetables in a day, or for drinking eight glasses of water, among other things. Occasionally there are bonus points awarded for participation in events such as the Women's 5K Classic to benefit breast cancer research. The hope is that when you are faced with a choice like "Do I really feel like working out today?" or "Should I order the dessert?", the prospect of earning Healthy U points will encourage proper behavior!

Cash prizes are awarded at the end of the contest, and a large number of other prizes are awarded all during the program. Many are raffle prizes for which you need only be present to be eligible. Also, each participant who completes the three-month program earns a tee-shirt. But obviously the biggest reward is increased health itself! Many past participants have great results to show for it.

To keep things fresh, new twists and tweaks are made to the program each semester. Recent new features and improvements include ActivTrax personal training, teams for students, new scoring rules, and the ability to enter teams of varying sizes.

Why is measuring body fat important?

Measuring body fat is important for determining fitness. Weight alone is not a clear indicator of good health because it does not distinguish between pounds that come from body fat and those that come from lean body mass (LBM) or muscle. Carrying too much fat is a condition called obesity, and 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.

How is body fat measured?

One of the most reliable and accessible methods of measuring body fat is through a technique called Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis or BIA. Simply explained, BIA sends a weak electrical signal though the body and measures the impedance or resistance to it as it travels through the water that is found in muscle and fat. The more muscle a person has, the more water their body can hold and the easier it is for the current to pass through it. The more fat, the more resistance to the current. Using a device that looks like a bathroom scale, a person enters their gender and height then steps onto the platform. Electrodes in the foot sensor pads send a low, safe signal through the body and calculates the body composition from the resistance. BIA is safe and does not hurt. In fact, the signal used in body fat monitors can not be felt at all either by an adult or child. Weight is calculated automatically along with body fat content in less than a minute.

What does the information on my body fat analysis printout mean?

BMI: Body Mass Index, a weight and height ratio, is often used to diagnose obesity by approximating body fat levels. The index helps determine your risk of developing one or more of 34 specific diseases linked to obesity. The National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization have determined that a healthy BMI is between 18.6 and 24.9. BMI between 25 and 29.9 indicates an individual is overweight and a BMI greater than 30 indicates obesity. BMI is not a reliable tool for everyone, for example competitive athletes, body builders, elderly, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, some inactive adults, children and chronically ill patients. Over time Body Composition Analysis can provide additional information about actual changes in body fat and improved health.

Impedance: Impedance reflects the strength and speed of the mild electrical signal sent through the body. Different types of tissues (i.e. muscle and fat) conduct the signal differently The impedance value is interpreted differently depending on an individual's gender and body type.

Fat%: Body fat is vital to daily body functions. It cushions the joints and protects the organs, helps regulate body temperature, stores vitamins and helps the body sustain itself when food is scarce. However, serious health risks have been associated with both too much and too little body fat. Click here to see a chart of body fat ranges broken down by age and gender.

Fat Mass: Fat Mass is the total weight of all body fat. It is your weight excluding bone, muscle tissue and water. Female bodies require a higher percentage of fat to be healthy.

LBM: Lean Body Mass is the reverse of Fat Mass. It is your weight excluding all body fat. It includes the weight of bone, muscle tissue and water.

TBW: Total Body Water, which reflects the amount of water in your body. Care must be taken to avoid becoming dehydrated during exercise and diet. Healthy hydration for men ranges from 60%-70% of body weight, and 50% - 60% for women. Individuals who are severely dehydrated may receive an inaccurate body composition analysis.

Desirable Range of Fat% and Fat Mass: Indicates your target body fat and an estimate of the fat you will need to lose or gain to achieve the target body fat percentage. This measurement is an estimate only, you should consult your physician to set an appropriate target and before beginning any weight management program. Desirable range indicates the healthy ranges for your age and gender.

Why do women require more body fat to be healthy?

Woman have more body fat than men - about five percent more. By nature, a woman's body is developed to protect her and a potential fetus. As a result, women have more enzymes for storing fat and fewer enzymes for burning fat. Additionally, the estrogen women have activates fat storing enzymes and causes them to multiply.

Women experience more changes in hydration levels than men because of their menstrual cycle, and this can affect body fat measuring, particularly using the Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) method. Retaining fluid may also cause weight to fluctuate day-to-day during this period causing additional variation in the body fat percentage.

Female users of BIA products should be aware of their natural monthly body cycles.

To establish a baseline for monitoring body fat, many women find it useful to chart their readings every day for a month. Afterward, monitoring at regular intervals can anticipate monthly fluctuations.

Hormonal changes due to pregnancy or menopause may also cause water retention and variations in measuring. Changes in hydration levels can also be due to food, caffeine or alcohol consumption, strenuous exercise, stress or illness, or the taking of prescription drugs.

To successfully monitor progress, women should remember to compare weight and body fat percentage measurements taken under the same conditions over a period of time. Pay attention to fluctuations caused by menstruation. And stay within the Women's - not the Men's - Healthy Body Fat Range.

Why don't my body composition numbers seem right?

Conditions which might cause skewed results include:

Severe hydration or over-hydration which may result from alcohol or food consumption, sleep, intense exercise or pre-menstruation.
A very full bladder.
Severe calluses on heels or soles of feet (about 1 in 400 people tested).
Soiled foot pads which interfere with conductivity.
Nylon stockings. Stockings interfere with conductivity, so if it is absolutely necessary to measure in stockings, use a drop of rubbing alcohol on the foot pads to act as a conductor.

What are the optimal conditions for measuring body fat?

Body fat should be measured:

Between 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
With an empty bladder.
When normally hydrated. Things that can affect hydration include strenuous exercise, recent food intake and diuretics such as caffeine, alcohol, and certain medications.

If the recommended time is not convenient, select one that is and stick to it consistently. Early morning or before bed are not recommended because the body is often dehydrated.

Why can't I count sports drinks (or juice, milk, soda, etc) towards hydration?

The concept of tracking and rewarding hydration in Healthy U using water consumption was driven by suggestions from previous participants. As part of our attempts to continually improve the program, we solicit suggestions from participants and incorporate as many of them as we can. In the original Healthy U pilot program, there weren't nearly as many ways to earn points as there are now, and everyone earned points in the same categories. There were no tracks and no electives. Through suggestions we developed elements like the RealAge test, the exercise log and teams for students. Several people suggested water consumption, so we accommodated that request.

If you look strictly at hydration (i.e. fluid intake/replacement), it is true that juices, sports drinks, even sodas, will do the job. However, what gets missed in that discussion is the caloric side. Almost all of those non-water drinks are very high in calories. Drinking 8 glasses of juice or soda a day could easily add up to 1000 calories or more to your diet. For some people, that may actually make up more than half of their recommended daily caloric intake.

Since the Healthy U program focuses on health, and specifically on healthy eating, it would be disingenuous to provide an incentive to consume more high-calorie beverages. That's why we specified water, or at the very least unsweetened tea.

In addition, studies have shown that drinking just five glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%. It can also slash the risk of breast cancer by 79% and reduce the risk of developing bladder cancer by 50%.

Where can I find nutritional info for foods not in the food diary?

There are links to good nutrition resources on the Useful Links page here at Healthy U Central. In addition, the most comprehensive Exchange Lists for the Exchange System are published by the the American Diabetes Association and do not appear to be available on-line. As a last resort, you can also contact the Healthy U Office.

How many calories do I burn when I...?

There are links to good "calories burned" resources on the Useful Links page here at Healthy U Central. Keep in mind that you should only be recording calories burned by truly working out. Just because dusting (or sleeping!) burns calories doesn't mean you should count it as a workout!