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Abnormal Body Fat Index

How The Body Fat Index is Measured

Hi,

I’m a 40-year old woman currently on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). I want to know if HRT can effect you body fat index.

I am currently working out in a gym and weigh 96 lbs., am 5’6” tall, and am in good health.

I had a test recently which showed my body fat index to be high. I’m baffled by this and was wondering if the HRT had anything to do with this.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Chris

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I’m baffled by this too! If there is no typo in your e-mail and you truly weigh 96 pounds and are 5 ft. 6 in. tall, there is no way your body fat percent could be above the normal range.

Is it possible the technician told you that you are outside the normal range (meaning you have too little body fat) and you took it to mean you have too much?

You don’t mention how your body fat percent was measured, but there are currently two methods recognized as quite precise (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry or DEXA and hydrostatic weighing) and there are a lot of other methods of approximation.

Interestingly, some of the methods of approximation have margins of error quite close to the more expensive tests.

I recommend you confirm the results of the test you had and try a few of the approximation methods to see if they are in the same ballpark. Find our quick and easy formula on Your Healthy Weight.

[If the chart appears blurry on your monitor, right click on it and select “Show with Full Quality”.]

As to whether HRT causes an increase in body fat, quite the contrary. Numerous medical studies have shown that the reduction in hormones which accompanies menopause causes an increase in body fat and a redistribution of body fat to the abdominal region.

Just to cite one, a study published in the January 1998 American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that HRT users were leaner, had less abdominal fat and a lower percentage of total body fat than those not on HRT.

Properly regulated hormone replacement prevents the increase and redistribution of fat.

If you have put on significant weight since going on HRT and especially if that weight gain has been primarily fat, you need to talk to your doctor. Your dosage or type of hormones may need adjusting.

Estrogen supports the normal action of leptin to control appetite and maintain metabolism. Testosterone maintains muscle mass which in turn increases calorie burn. In other words, both estrogen and testosterone support a healthy metabolism.

Finally, women who have had their ovaries removed or compromised by surgery often experience significant weight gain. This is thought to be due to the reduction in both estrogen and testosterone.

When you talk to your doctor, ask whether the supplement DHEA would be advisable for you. Read about DHEA by clicking here.

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Hi

Thank you for your reply, my current weight is 9 stone 6 pounds (132 lbs.) possible typing error there. I will continue to use the HRT and I am going to go to my doctor to have a check-up to check this all out.

I think perhaps that my body fact index was not done correctly.

Chris

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I don't think there was a typing error. Us Colonials just don't understand that their are different weight measuring systems throughout the world.

At least we're starting to get the metric system.

This article is for informational purposes only. It does not purport to render medical advice.

 

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