Body composition

Body composition refers to the quantification of different components within the human body—primarily fat mass, lean tissue/muscle mass, bone mineral content, and water. Various models exist for its assessment: * Two-compartment model:* divides into fat mass and fat-free mass. * Multi-compartment models:* further separate water, protein/muscle tissue, minerals/bone content. Measurement techniques include skinfold calipers for subcutaneous fat estimation; bioelectrical impedance analysis; dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA); MRI/CT imaging; ultrasound-based methods. Accurate assessment provides insight into nutritional status and disease risk but does not represent a discrete molecular or pharmacological target. Rather than being targeted by drugs directly, changes in body composition result from lifestyle interventions or medications affecting metabolism/hormones.[7][5][1] In summary: Body composition should not be classified as a canonical drug target—it is an aggregate physiological measure rather than a specific molecular entity suitable for direct pharmacologic targeting.

Other names

Body fat percentageFat-free mass analysis (context-dependent)Compartmental body analysis