How to Read Your DEXA Scan Results

Total Body Fat Percentage

This is the number most people look at first. It tells you what percentage of your total body mass is fat tissue. Unlike a scale or BMI calculation, this is a direct measurement — not an estimate.

For reference: healthy ranges are roughly 10-20% for men and 18-28% for women, though this varies by age. Your report will typically show how you compare to population norms.

Lean Mass (Muscle + Organs + Water)

Lean mass is everything that isn't fat or bone. That includes skeletal muscle, organs, blood, and water. Your report breaks this down by region — left arm, right arm, left leg, right leg, and trunk.

The regional breakdown is one of the most useful parts of a DEXA report. You can see if one side carries more muscle than the other, which is common and relevant for injury prevention and training.

Regional Body Composition

Your report divides the body into five regions: both arms, both legs, and the trunk. For each region, you get fat mass and lean mass.

This is especially useful for spotting asymmetries. A 10%+ difference in lean mass between your left and right leg, for example, could indicate a compensation pattern from an old injury. Athletes use this data to balance their training.

Visceral Adipose Tissue (VAT)

Visceral fat is the fat stored around your abdominal organs. It's metabolically active and strongly linked to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome. Your DEXA report estimates visceral fat area in cm² and sometimes volume.

A VAT area under 100 cm² is generally considered low risk. Above 160 cm² is high risk. This number matters more than your total body fat percentage for predicting metabolic health problems.

Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)

Many DEXA reports include an estimated resting metabolic rate based on your lean mass. This tells you roughly how many calories your body burns at rest each day. Because it's derived from your actual lean tissue measurement — not a formula based on height and weight — it's more accurate than most online calculators.

What to Focus On

If you're tracking fitness, pay closest attention to lean mass trends, body fat percentage, and visceral fat. If you're doing repeat scans over time, focus on the direction of change rather than obsessing over any single number.

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