Patent ID: 7813794
Filing Date: 2010-10-12
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A body fat measuring apparatus comprising: first plural electric-current electrodes adapted to be placed on four limbs of a measurement subject; first plural voltage electrodes adapted to be placed on an abdominal portion of said measurement subject; second plural electric-current electrodes adapted to be placed on said abdominal portion of said measurement subject such that they are spaced apart from one another by an interval sufficiently smaller than a perimeter length of said abdominal portion; second plural voltage electrodes adapted to be placed on said abdominal portion such that they are spaced apart from one another by an interval sufficiently smaller than said perimeter length of said abdominal portion; and a measurement control part for controlling a measuring operation of said body fat measuring apparatus, wherein said measurement control part includes: a first measurement part which measures a first abdominal bioelectrical impedance of an entirety of said abdominal portion using said first plural electric-current electrodes on said four limbs and said first plural voltage electrodes on said abdominal portion, the first measurement part causing an electric current to flow through said first plural electric-current electrodes and measuring the first abdominal bioelectrical impedance from the electric-potential difference between said first plural voltage electrodes; a second measurement part which measures a second abdominal bioelectrical impedance of a subcutaneous region of said abdominal portion using said second plural electric-current electrodes on said abdominal portion and said second plural voltage electrodes on said abdominal portion, the second measurement part causing an electric current to flow through said second plural electric-current electrodes and measuring the second abdominal bioelectrical impedance from the electric-potential difference between said second plural voltage electrodes; and a body fat calculation part which calculates an amount of visceral fat of said abdominal portion using said first abdominal bioelectrical impedance, said second abdominal bioelectrical impedance and a characteristic value reflecting the size of the measurement subject, wherein the visceral fat calculation includes subtracting a value associated with the second abdominal bioelectrical impedance from a value associated with the first abdominal bioelectrical impedance, the first abdominal bioelectrical impedance being measured using electrodes distinct from electrodes used to measure the second abdominal bioelectrical impedance.