ACE Personal Trainer Practice Exam

What does Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) measure in the body?

1. Body temperature during exercise

2. Resistance to electric current flow

3. Muscle contractions during strength training

4. Heart rate variability

The correct answer is: Resistance to electric current flow

Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) primarily measures the resistance to the flow of an electric current through the body. This technique utilizes the principle that different tissues in the body conduct electricity to varying extents. Muscle, which contains a higher water and electrolyte content, conducts electricity better than fat, which has lower water content. By measuring the impedance (resistance) encountered by an electrical signal as it travels through the body, BIA can provide estimates of body composition components such as total body water, lean mass, and fat mass. This measurement is non-invasive and widely used in fitness and health assessments, making it a valuable tool for personal trainers and health professionals when evaluating a client's body composition. The other options focus on unrelated physiological aspects: measuring body temperature doesn't provide insights into body composition, muscle contractions pertain to physical performance rather than body composition analysis, and heart rate variability is a measure of autonomic nervous system function, not body composition.