DEXA is the gold standard for body composition (Lean Mass, Fat Mass, and Bone Density & VAT). A DEXA scan gives you vital information concerning your health and longevity, with medical grade precision.

Lean Mass: “Obesity (as defined by body mass index) has not been associated consistently with higher mortality in older adults. However, total body mass includes fat and muscle, which have different metabolic effects. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that greater muscle mass in older adults is associated with lower all-cause mortality…

• Muscle mass is associated inversely with mortality risk in older adults independently of fat mass and cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors.
• Anabolic processes that promote muscle bulk may be associated with longer survival.
• Changes in body composition, rather than adiposity alone, should be considered when counseling older adults on preventative health behaviors.

In adjusted analyses, total mortality was significantly lower in the fourth quartile of muscle mass index compared with the first quartile: adjusted risk ratio 0.81 (95% confidence interval, 0.71-0.91) and adjusted hazard ratio 0.80 (95% confidence interval, 0.66-0.97).

This study demonstrates the survival predication ability of relative muscle mass and highlights the need to look beyond total body mass in assessing the health of older adults.” (American Journal of Medicine)

Bone Density: “While we tend to associate broken bones with younger children roughhousing on the playground, as we age, our bones can become more brittle. Gradual bone loss with aging may also lead to osteoporosis, a disease that thins and weakens the bones. This can lead to broken hips, arms, and various other weakened bone symptoms. Discovering that you may have osteoporosis has become much easier to diagnose with new technologies… The most common is known as dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)… DEXA accomplishes this with only one-tenth of the radiation exposure of a standard chest x-ray…The procedure is considered the gold standard for osteoporosis screening.” (Harvard Medical School)

Fat Mass: “For fat mass, we consistently observed a strong positive association with mortality in the higher range of fat mass. In the lower range of fat mass, some studies found lower risk of mortality with higher fat mass but it may be explained by the reverse causation or high correlation of fat mass with lean body mass.

VAT: DEXA also measures VAT (Visceral Adipose Tissue), ” Visceral fat is a type of body fat that lies deep within your abdominal walls and surrounds your organs. Some levels of visceral fat are healthy and help protect your organs. However, too much visceral fat can be dangerous for your health. Visceral fat is sometimes called “active fat” because it plays an active role in how your body functions. Too much visceral fat can lead to serious health issues such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke.” (Cleveland Clinic)