Patent ID: 6618615
Filing Date: 2003-09-09
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A body fat measuring apparatus for measuring body fat of a physical mass including a human body, an animal body or a fish body, comprising:a photometer for measuring absorbance by the physical mass at at least one wavelength including a projecting mechanism for irradiating the physical mass with infrared light included in a wavelength region of 1.1 to 2.0 &mgr;m, a photoreceiving mechanism for receiving output light from the physical mass and spectroscopic means for separating said light to be applied to the physical mass or said output light from the physical mass into its spectral components; a compression mechanism for compressing a measured region of the physical mass or a peripheral portion thereof; difference absorbance calculation means for obtaining difference absorbance from first absorbance obtained by said photometer under a first state in which the measured region is compressed by said compression mechanism with a first pressure and second absorbance obtained by said photometer under a second state in which the measured region is either compressed with a second pressure lower than said first pressure or non-compressed; a storage part storing relations between body fat and difference absorbance; and an operation part quantitatively determining body fat from said difference absorbance calculated by said difference absorbance calculation means on the basis of said relations stored in said storage part.