Body composition analysis in Seoul, beyond the scale

What body composition analysis in Seoul measures

Body composition analysis in Seoul at VEI Clinic uses multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis, or BIA. You stand barefoot on foot electrodes and hold hand grips while a very small, painless electrical current passes through the body. Because muscle and water conduct electricity differently from fat, the device estimates what your weight is made of.

The printout typically includes skeletal muscle mass and lean mass, body fat percentage and fat mass, a visceral fat estimate, segmental analysis comparing arms, legs and trunk, total body water split into inside and outside the cells, phase angle on some settings, and an estimated basal metabolic rate. Dr. HyunSung Park reviews the result with you so that the figures become a practical plan rather than a page of numbers.

Who it is useful for

The scan is quick and painless, so it fits easily into a checkup, a weight-management visit or a stopover in Seoul. It is most valuable when the result will change something you do, such as how you eat, train or treat a medical condition, rather than as a one-off number.

• People starting a weight-loss program, including medical weight loss with GLP-1 medicines, who want to make sure they lose fat while preserving muscle.
• Anyone whose weight looks normal but who suspects high body fat or low muscle, sometimes called normal-weight obesity.
• Adults in midlife and older who want to track muscle mass and strength over time.
• People with metabolic risk factors such as prediabetes, fatty liver, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, alongside blood tests.
• Those tracking progress in a fitness or rehabilitation program, or before and after a body contouring course.

How to prepare for an accurate reading

BIA is sensitive to hydration, so preparation makes a real difference. Avoid a large meal for two to three hours and arrive normally hydrated. Skip alcohol for 24 hours and vigorous exercise for about eight to twelve hours beforehand. Empty your bladder shortly before the scan. Remove metal jewelry and wipe off lotion from your hands and feet.

For tracking, try to repeat scans at the same time of day under the same conditions. Menstruation, swelling, a recent illness, a salty meal or a long flight can all shift the result, so tell us if any apply and we may suggest rescheduling.

You can stay in light clothing, but take off shoes and socks so your feet touch the electrodes directly. Heavy belts, phones and coins in your pockets add weight and should be set aside before you step on.

Who should not have a BIA scan, and its limits

Do not have a BIA scan if you have a pacemaker, implantable defibrillator or other implanted electronic device. If you are pregnant, discuss it first, as results are not reliable and the test is generally not recommended. Open wounds on the contact points, significant swelling, heart failure, kidney disease or other major fluid imbalances also make results unreliable.

BIA gives estimates, not direct measurements. It is useful for tracking your own trend over time, but readings can differ by a few percent from day to day and between devices. It is not a diagnostic test for any disease and does not measure bone density; if osteoporosis is a concern, a DEXA scan at a hospital is the appropriate test. Body composition is also only part of the picture, so we read it alongside waist size, blood pressure and blood tests.

What happens after your scan

Dr. Park explains the key numbers 1:1 in English and what they mean for you. The plan might include a protein and activity target to protect muscle, a review of metabolic blood tests, a discussion of medical weight-loss options where appropriate, or simply a baseline to compare against in one or two months.

If the numbers raise a medical question, for example high visceral fat with a raised waist size, we may suggest checking fasting glucose, HbA1c, lipids and liver function, or an abdominal ultrasound for fatty liver. If muscle mass looks low for your age, we look at protein intake, activity, thyroid function and vitamin D. You leave with an English printout so you can compare future scans, here or elsewhere.

A scan is not an emergency service. If you have chest pain, severe shortness of breath, fainting, confusion or signs of a stroke, call 119 or go to the nearest emergency room.