Body composition measurement apparatus

Abstract

The present invention proposes a body composition measurement apparatus which is easy to use and is still capable of accurately measuring body composition information, such as quantity and/or balance of body-fat, muscle mass of both thighs. In an embodiment of the invention, the apparatus has a body 10 having tapered parts 11L and 11R designed to support the legs at a bending angle of about 160 degrees when the legs are laid on the tapered parts. Measuring electrodes 14L and 14R at the top of the tapered parts contact the backs of the knees. Grip bars 12L and 12R projecting from both sides of the body 10 has measuring electrodes 15L and 15R, which contacts both palms of the subject when the subject holds the grip bars 12L and 12R with both hands. Current-carrying electrodes 13L and 13R provided on the slopes of the tapered parts contact both calves (or lower thighs). Supplying electric current through the current-carrying electrodes between both lower thighs, the apparatus measures the voltage induced over each of both thighs, and calculates the impedance of each thigh. Then, using estimation formulae created beforehand based on the regression analysis of data collected by an MRI method, the apparatus estimates body composition, such as the muscle masses of both thighs and its right-and-left balance, from the measurement value of the impedance and body identification information including the height, weight, etc.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.