Being able to measure your members’ progress is vital. And oftentimes, traditional scales just don’t make the cut when measuring where a person is at on their fitness journey.
The medical Body Composition Analyzer (mBCA) 514 by seca breaks down weight into body compartments relevant to the practice of medicine, namely, fat mass and fat-free mass, body water (made up of extracellular water and intracellular water) and skeletal muscle mass. Measurement values are calculated using essential body composition parameters and displayed on the touch screen or can be reviewed in a one-page summary of results.
Here Marly Paulus, the owner and a Certified Body Composition Analyst at Body MetRx in Redlands, California, shared how the seca mBCA 514 has benefited her facility by educating members on their overall health status and providing further insight on their fitness progress.
CS: How were you introduced to seca and why did you decide to incorporate their body composition analyzers into your facility?
MP: By word of mouth. I had a Bod Pod (body composition analyzer) prior to purchasing a seca mBCA, and was looking for something that provides accurate reproducible results.
CS: What advantages did you find that the seca mBCA 514 offered over other BCA devices?
MP: The fact that it’s top-of-the-line with medical grade accuracy really intrigued me. And having conducted validation studies that compare its measurement results with the scientific gold standard is definitely something that I put trust in.
CS: Why is incorporating body composition analysis important when assessing your members?
MP: It gives people a clear view on how their body composition is changing — and is not just a scale, which can be limiting. Measuring your body’s composition puts your weight into context, educating you far more about your health status and not just how heavy you are.
CS: Unmet precision and reproducibility are strong characteristics of the mBCA. How do these elements enhance your health services?
MP: I never have to worry about it being inconsistent. I currently own two mBCA’s and have not had any discrepancies with members being assessed on both devices. I know each will provide an accurate result.
CS: Your facilities are expanding into the medical fitness segment, where you will soon be offering HRT services. How will the mBCA assist you with tracking your members’ treatment and progress?
MP: We can pinpoint how people’s bodies are changing. For example, to see if treatment is influencing weight gain (i.e., water, fat, muscle, etc.) It will also help keep members motivated to continue their fitness routines.
CS: Finally, is the device producing monetary value for your health club?
MP: Yes, it is and we are definitely satisfied about that!
