Is the answer to the American obesity epidemic simply about the number of pounds on a bathroom scale? Your primary care physician would tell you it’s more important to know how much fat and lean muscle you have and to leverage that knowledge toward healthy eating and exercise. Body imaging can provide the data you and your provider need to get you on the path to a slimmer, healthier you.
Let’s learn more about this and where you can go for body imaging in Queens, NY.
The Problem of Obesity
Body Mass Index, or BMI, is the ratio of a person’s weight to height. A healthy BMI is no higher than 25. Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 or greater.
Besides the obvious aesthetic problems of obesity, being drastically overweight carries the risk of major health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, and more. Sadly, obesity is roughshod over Americans, their health, and their lifespans. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that almost 42 percent of Americans are considered obese.
Getting Healthy
While being your best self, including prime physical health, means proper body weight, percentage of body fat, and improved body tone, no weight loss or eating plan can give everyone what they need. In fact, people should work closely with their primary care physicians to determine their optimal weight, along with measures of cholesterol, blood glucose, and other physiological markers.
From there, eating and exercise plans can be individualized and results tracked. Communication between patient and PCP (and with other providers) is key to accountability and short- and long-term goal achievement.
How Body Imaging Can Help You Reduce Fat and Improve Body Tone
One way to help you understand how much body fat you carry is to have a DEXA scan. Typically thought of as the gold standard in assessing bone density and a person’s risk for osteoporosis and bone fractures in the hip and spine, a DEXA scan also provides information on body fat. Most women begin biannual DEXA scans at 65, but people can begin them sooner for other purposes, such as planning a weight loss and fitness program.
This simple, painless scan takes about 25 minutes to complete. The radiology technician will position you flat on an examination table. As you rest on your back, a low-radiation X-ray arm will pass over the entire length of your body. The resulting images show your bones as starkly white areas and your fat and muscle tissues as gray.
When your radiologist reads the results, he or she obtains a picture and analysis of how much fat you have and where it is distributed throughout the body. As you work toward your health and fitness goals, additional scans will track your progress and help you and your healthcare providers adjust your eating, exercise, medications, and adjunctive therapies.
The Finest in Primary Care and Radiology in Queens, NY
At EMU Health, our team of highly skilled physicians and other healthcare providers focuses on delivering state-of-the-art assessments and treatments which optimize your health and prevent long-term problems. We can help you win the battle against excess body fat and get you to be the fit, toned individual you desire to be. Body scanning is just one tool we have at our disposal.
To learn more about reducing body fat and about our high-tech services, call EMU Health at (718) 850-4368. If you would like to schedule a consultation, fill out our online appointment request form.
We are here to serve you and all your healthcare needs.
