How to Calculate Your Total Body Volume
For public health services and measuring obesity in humans, the body mass index (BMI) is commonly used. However, BMI is calculated using your height and weight without considering fat distribution, age or gender. This is where the Body Volume Index (BVI) can give a more accurate reading. BVI can be calculated using a 3D full body-scanner. You can also find out your total body volume right from home.
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Instructions
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Fill a 5-gallon water bottle with warm water and poor it into the bathtub. Fill the tub with enough warm water to fully submerge your body without overflowing. Keep track of how many gallons of water you use.
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Wear no clothes at all, or as little as possible, to ensure an accurate reading.
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Lay down in the tub on your back and submerge your entire body, including your head. Try to keep the water as still as possible.
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Have another person mark the water level on the tub while you are still submerged under the water.
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Avoid spilling any water when getting out of the tub. Allow the water to drip off you back into the tub before stepping out of it.
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Fill up the tub to the marked water level line. Measure the amount of water that you add to the tub. This amount is your total body volume in gallons.
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Convert your BVI to cubic feet by multiplying your total body volume by 0.133680556.
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References
- Photo Credit measuring waist image by PinkShot from Fotolia.com
