Body Composition Testing

Turn Information Into Inspiration

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Evolt 360 Scanner?

The Evolt 360 is an FDA approved non-invasive body composition analyser that uses a frequency to read internal human tissue. This means that you can get a baseline measure of over 30 data points about your body.

How does the Evolt 360 Scanner work?

The Evolt 360 Scanner uses BIA Technology to send a small current through the body to measure impedance and reactance.

What is BIA Technology?

The Evolt scanner uses Bio Impedance Technology.  Bioimpedance uses impedance and reactance to differentiate tissue.  It can reliably differentiate between lean body mass and body fat via the impedance reading (muscle has less resistance than fat).  

The 8 silver tactile points on the scanner send current through the 5 segments of the body to provide a more reliable measure of body composition as opposed to a standard foot scale.

Bioimpedance is used extensively in medicine and in research.  It is a safe, quick, reliable, and repeatable form of body composition testing.

What is the EVOLT Active App?

The Evolt Active App is the ultimate in tracking your body composition and health with intuitive goal tracking of your body composition scans, individualized calorie & macronutrient suggestions, healthy lifestyle score, bio wellness score as well as other goal related features.  The app also provides you with the education & skills to help you understand your body and reach your goals. 

Is the Evolt 360 BIA Technology Accurate?

The accuracy of any body composition relates back to how the technology is built and what validation it has been through within reliability studies.  The accuracy of the Evolt 360 is verified by the many publications in the scientific literature that relate to BIA technology.

When it comes to factual Information about accuracy of BIA technology, all forms of BIA have been established as being identical in terms of the method of operation and the utilization of impedance measures that incorporate an alternate electrical frequency to determine body composition, despite marketing collateral of competitors that suggests otherwise.

Similarly, whilst our competitors provide research papers in which their devices have been used as part of the methodology of data collection, those studies do not constitute peer-reviewed substantiation of the validity or reliability of those devices.  Rather, there is an implied reliability that our competitors refer to as demonstrating the features of their devices, which is very clever marketing, but devoid of substantiated scientific support.

BIA and an alternating current passed through the body is identical regardless of the manufacturer; however the algorithms used by different companies is where the variability exists.  The accuracy of the Evolt 360 data analysis methodology that incorporates a 5-point algorithm has been developed based 100% on evidence-based data presented in the research.

Some of our competitors use a 3-point algorithm that ignores age and gender (with default male and age settings that override what the individual enters into the system) which have repeatedly been substantiated in the literature as key components to the accurate determination of body composition in all demographics.  So, the aggressive marketing of some competitors, in fact, highlights a major flaw in their system that categorically demonstrates a high degree of questionability regarding their results.

So, there is no negation of the key point of difference in the Evolt 360 in comparison to other BIA manufacturers, rather, the accuracy of the Evolt 360 stands on a platform of substantiated scientific methodology that is consistent with all current evidence-based practice.

In terms of factual Information about accuracy of BIA technology, the science behind BIA is well researched and validated in peer-reviewed published literature, the most notable being –

  • Carrasco Marginet et al 2017 BIVA for measuring hydration status in young elite synchronized swimmers

The accuracy of Evolt 360’s technology is always an important question that can be verified by the literature.

Scanning

When should I scan?
Morning is the best time to scan, however, if this is not possible, it is best to follow the ‘Best Scan Conditions Practice’ for the best and most consistent results:

  • Always stay hydrated,
  • Scan at the same time of day,
  • Do not train prior to scanning,
  • Keep all food & supplements the same,
  • Keep medications the same,
  • Do not have any caffeine prior to scanning, and
  • Do not have any alcohol within 24 hours of scanning.
How often should I scan?

We recommend that you book in to get a scan every 4 to 6 weeks to ensure your progression is on track with your goals.

Understanding your results

What is Lean Body Mass?

Lean Body Mass refers to the mass or weight of your body that includes:

  • Skeletal muscle,
  • Mineral,
  • Water, and
  • Protein.

Increasing your lean body mass will assist with long term lower total body fat.

What is Visceral Fat?

Visceral fat is found around our organs.  It is hard to identify with scales and skin caliper measurements.  High amounts of Visceral fat can be linked to type 2 Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and inflammatory conditions.  Causes for high visceral fat are such things as:

  • Poor diet,
  • Over consumption of alcohol,
  • Smoking,
  • Chronic stress, and
  • Disrupted sleep patterns.
What are Macronutrients?

Macronutrients are energy-providing chemical substances consumed by organisms in large quantities. The three macronutrients in nutrition are carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Everybody has an individual macronutrient profile depending on their body composition.

What is BWI Score?

Evolt has a proprietary, trademarked overview rating called BWI, which stands for Bio-Wellness Index. The Bio-Wellness Index score is a calculation based on the integrity of lean body mass versus total fat mass that provides a more purposeful number out of 10 as an overall measure of progress in the promotion of healthy lean body mass for longevity.

The BWI Score is about establishing the right composition of weight gained or lost and takes into account the age and gender of the individual in comparison to World Health Organization standards. The higher the score, the better the wellness of the individual or the total collated group.

The purpose of the BWI is to provide one simple metric as a measuring score of body composition health.

I am the same weight as my friend but our body fat percentages are different. Why?

Body fat percentage looks very different on everyone.  You can’t compare two bodies with different genetics, muscle mass, and body fat storage.  Some people who look visibly lean can carry higher body fat percentage due to internal visceral fat placement.  The moral of the story is, body fat percentage should be used as a gauge to measure overall health and progression.

Do Men and Women have different scan results?

Different gender, muscle mass, genetics, propensity of body fat storage all give everyone and individual perspective of body fat.  Men have a tendency to have lower subcutaneous body fat whereas women have a physiological tendency to carry higher subcutaneous fat but lower internal visceral fat mass.

We are all individuals, so use body fat percentage as a measure to track your progress.

How can I lose Body Fat?

Whilst you can’t choose where you lose your body fat, the good news is that consistent adherence to the following will allow you to lose body fat:

  • Calorie deficit,
  • Adequate protein,
  • Lifting weights,
  • Patience, and
  • Consistency.

Using the Evolt 360 body scan data and the Evolt Active App to track your progress will help to make sure your training and nutrition is working to get you to your goals.

Why do I need to build more muscle?

The human body contains 600 muscles with 430 of them being voluntary and make up 40-50% of your total body weight.  The benefits of having higher amounts of skeletal muscle mass are well documented, including:

  • Increased metabolism of lean muscle assists with reduction of obesity,
  • Increased muscle glycogen (carbohydrate) storing capacity for exercise,
  • Maintaining muscle over the lifespan can aid in reduction in obesity and weight gain as a result of aging,
  • Improved ability to tolerate high stress environments,
  • Improved responses to critical illness and disease (even the prevention of disease in the case of obesity),
  • Decreased osteoporosis,
  • Improved bone density,
  • Improved independence and activities of daily living in older adults,
  • Decreased risk of falls in older adults, and
  • Protection against injury from bumps and knocks.

Vancouver Island Body Audit respectfully acknowledges the Coast Salish and Nuu-Chah Nulth peoples on whose unceded traditional territories we conduct our business.