Activity 3A Activity Objectives: Activity Overviewteachhealthk-12.uthscsa.edu/sites/teachhealthk-12/files/activity... · Activity Overview LESSON 3 Corpulosity 2006 PROTOTYPE ACTIVITY

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LESSON 3 ACTIVITY 3A2006 PROTOTYPE

Positively Aging®/M.O.R.E.2006©The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio 1

Bottle Bodies: Measuring Body Fat Activity 3A

Activity Objectives:Working with bottles, clay, and wax to represent human body composition, students will be able to:

� measure height, weight, circumference� measure mass and volume; calculate density � use a BMI chart and nomogram � design a “Pear” or “Apple” shape body and determine hip/

waist ratio � describe and determine body shape types and somatotypes

Activity Description:Using various sizes and shapes of plastic bottles to represent the trunkof the human body and a predetermined amount of sand or water topour into the bottle, students will learn how to calculate the Body MassIndex (BMI) of their Bottle Bodies. Students will measure the mass andvolume of the Bottle Bodies and calculate density. They will determinethe body shape of the Bottle Bodies by calculating waist to hip ratio.

In order to simulate fat (adipose) tissue and/or muscle mass, warm waxor clay will be placed on the Bottle Bodies. Body fat can accumulate inthe abdominal region, thighs, gluteals, and upper body. Students will re-weigh, re-measure and re-classify the Bottle Bodies according tochanges caused by “fat” and “muscle” accumulation as a result oflifestyle choices.

Activity Background:In our modern day lives we are reminded to live a healthy life-style and watch our weight. Television, technology, and magazines remindus of watching our weight and staying active. While fat is necessary forinsulation and energy, unhealthy accumulation of fat around our waist,hips or abdomen could be precursors to diseases, such as diabetes andheart disease.

Abdominal obesity is fat (adipose) accumulation around the abdomenand can be measured with a tape measure, which is the simplest way todo this type of measuring. Waist circumference may be the best overall predictor of abdominal visceral obesity. Body Mass Index (BMI), skinfold measurement, and waist circumference can all be used to estimatethe amount of body fat.

BMI is a ratio of weight to height. You can calculate BMI using one ofthe following formulae:

English Units of Measurement:

BMI= weight (pounds) x 703 height (inches) x height (inches)

Metric Units of Measurement:

BMI= weight (Kilograms) height (meters) x height (meters)

When determining the BMI (Body Mass Index) for adolescents, it isimportant to use tables designed for that age group, see Appendices 1and 2 in the Activity Appendix. (Note: Make class copies of these tables forstudents to use during the activity). The BMI number is different for chil-dren and teens and is age and sex specific. Amount of body fat changeswith age and amount of body fat differs between girls and boys.

Once the weight and height of a child or adolescent are known, BMIfor Age Growth Charts can be used to obtain a percentile ranking. Thesecharts are available on the Centers for Disease Control website referencedin this activity and other sources as well. The percentile ranking showshow a child’s height and weight compares to other children in theUnited States. Table 1 shows weight categories of underweight, healthyweight, at risk of being overweight, and overweight.

Table 1 BMI Weight Status Categories

Underweight Less than the 5th percentile

Healthy weight 5th percentile up to the 85th percentile

At risk of 85th to less than the Overweight 95th percentile

Overweight Equal to or greater than the 95th percentile

Our body is made up of water, protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins andminerals. Some measures of body composition simplify the definition toconsider the distribution of fat and fat-free mass (muscle, bone, air cavities, etc.) in the body. Two people weighing 150 pounds can havevery different body compositions and thus very different health risks. A person weighing 150 pounds with a large percentage of muscle and asmall percentage of fat has a much healthier body composition than aperson weighing 150 pounds with a large amount of body fat and lessmuscle. Adolescents put on weight as their muscle, fat, and bone

2006 PROTOTYPE Positively Aging®/M.O.R.E.2006©The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio 2

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LESSON 3 ACTIVITY 3A

2006 PROTOTYPE Positively Aging®/M.O.R.E.2006©The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio 3

changes as they grow and develop; monitoring body composition duringthis critical developmental period may help them become aware of maintaininghealthy body composition later in life.

The amounts of muscle, fat, and bone need to establish general fitness.An athlete has more muscle and less fat while a less fit person has lessmuscle and more body fat. In terms of body composition, the amount ofbone is relatively stable in adults, although a person with serious osteo-porosis will have lower than normal bone mass, which can cause theamount of body fat to be overestimated.

Figure 1 Skin Fold Calipers

Calipers, see Figure 1 are often used to measure skin folds. Skin folds in the waistline (found above the hip bone), below the shoulder blade,biceps, and triceps are areas that can easily be measured with calipers.To use the calipers, the skin is lifted with your thumb and forefinger; the“skinfold” created by this action is then measured with the caliper. Thismethod can give a general estimate of percent body fat, but is not themost reliable method of measuring body fat.

Pear and Apple shapes have also been used to describe general body shape. Pear shapes store fat below the waist-line on hips, thighs and gluteals. People who are pear shaped are commonly labeled “bottom heavy” but have

a well-defined waist. Apple-shaped people have fat concentrated around the abdomen. This kind of

central fat is associated with weight related disorders such as Heart Disease, Diabetes and Sleep Apnea. Women with

apple shapes have wide torsos and have a “top heavy” appearance, prominent abdomen and a flat derriere.

Determining pear shape or apple shape is done by calculating waist tohip ratio. This ratio is calculated by dividing the waist circumference bythe hip circumference. If the ratio is greater than 0.8 a person is an appleshape; below 0.8 is a pear shape.

Body type (somatotype) is determined primarily by genetics and thereare 3 body type classifications, see Figure 2.

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LESSON 3 ACTIVITY 3A

SKIN

MUSCLE

FAT

2006 PROTOTYPE Positively Aging®/M.O.R.E.2006©The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio 4

Figure 2 Body Types

ENDOMORPH ECTOMORPH MESOMORPH

Activity Materials: (per group)

� 1 plastic soda or water bottle with cap (per student)

� 1 c clay to simulate muscle

� 1 c wax to simulate fat

� 1 measuring tape (metric)

� 1 permanent marker

� 1 metric ruler

� 1/2 c measuring cup

� large container for water

� 1 graduated cylinder

� 1 triple beam balance

� Sand (optional)

� 1 copy BMI Nomogram for Age, male and female

(Appendices A & B)

� 1 copy Student Information Page

� 1 copy Student Data Page (per student)

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Typically has:• round face• wide hips• large bones• slow metabolism• high number of

fat cells• low waist

Typically has:• small muscles• low body fat• narrow hips,

shoulder and waist

• low number of fat cells

Typically has• muscular build• wide shoulders• small waist• low body fat• athletic build

2006 PROTOTYPE Positively Aging®/M.O.R.E.2006©The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio 5

Activity Management Suggestions:Pair students, and ask each one to bring an empty soda/water bottle with its cap. This will give the students 2 shapes to work with and to compare. Have sets of the materials on hand in case some students do not bring their bottles. Materials can be placed in a plastic container for organizational purposes.

Teachers, please be aware that this activity sets the stage for a discussion of hydrodensitometry (an underwater weighing techniqueused to determine amount of body fat) by allowing students to observethat various body tissues have very different densities. They willobserve that adding wax to simulate fat, a low density tissue, willdecrease the overall body density. Conversely, adding more dense clayto simulate muscle will increase the overall body density. This concept is important to understanding the process of hydrodensitometry. This activity DOES NOT simulate the procedure of hydrodensitometry,however.

Extension:After the “body composition” of the Bottle Bodies is developed byadding clay for muscle and wax for fat, design a life jacket/vest to keepBottle Body from floating “head down, feet up” in the water, causingthe Bottle Body to drown. Ask students to explain what determineswhether the head remains above or below water.

Activity References Used: Centers for Disease Control National Health and Nutrition ExaminationSurvey websitehttp://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/

National Heart Lung and Blood Websitewww.nhlbi.nih.gov

National Library of Medicine Pub Med websitehttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/

Dasgupta, S. & Hazra, S.C. (1999). The utility of waist circumference inassessment of obesity. Indian Journal of Public Health; 43(4), 132-135.

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LESSON 3 ACTIVITY 3A