If you only use the scale, you may not truly know if you're at a healthy weight. The scale can't tell you the type of tissue it's weighing. Having too much fat -- even if you're thin or carry a normal weight in pounds -- will endanger your health.

BMI is a standard measurement used to evaluate an individual’s weight in relation to height. Weight and body fat standards are often set for military organizations -- the Navy, the Air Force, the Army, the Marines and the Coast Guard -- and recruits must meet these standards to enlist or maintain membership.

Your pregnancy is a time for excitement and anticipation as you await the arrival of your newborn baby. During the course of the pregnancy, you have several options for an exercise program to maintain your fitness level and manage your body fat.

The causes of obesity are varied and sometimes complex. Factors such as exposure to fast food ads, environment, socioeconomic status, genetic predisposition, overeating and unhealthy snacking influence weight.

You've noticed that your belly is a bit larger and rounder than usual and you’re wondering whether you’re eating too much or if you’re pregnant. The question can be resolved with a simple home pregnancy test.

Both low-carb and gluten-free diets get a lot of flak for being dieting "fads" -- but they're actually beneficial for many people.

Simply stepping on a scale won’t tell you everything you need to know about your health. For example, two 12-year-olds of different heights can both be healthy, even though they weigh two very different amounts.

The average height and weight for girls vary by age. A girl whose measurements vary from the average isn't necessarily unhealthy, however. Body mass index, or BMI, calculated from a girl's height and weight can be used to determine whether she's at a healthy weight for her height.

When a member of the United States Army weighs more than the Army’s acceptable weight standards, a tape test is administered to determine body fat percentage. Occasionally, the test might also be given if a unit commander or supervisor feels that an individual’s appearance suggests excessive body fat.

For a truly accurate measurement of your body fat percentage, you would need to go to a laboratory and have a trained professional determine it through clinical applications. This would take time and money. Fortunately, you can also get an estimate of your body fat with only a scale and a tape measure.

Reading a scale in a doctor's office should be simple, but it is not. In addition to measuring weight, you can also measure height. Normally, that should be a simple procedure, but do you stand facing the wall or with your back to the wall? Are your shoes on or off? Are your socks on or off?

Lipomas are noncancerous tumors that develop gradually in your body’s fat cells. Typically, people with these tumors only notice them after they grow for years. Doctors don’t know exactly why lipomas form.