Body composition is one of the five health-related components of fitness and is the percentage of body fat, bone, water and muscle in your body. Although fat is associated with negative connotations, it serves important functions in our bodies such as cushioning organs, absorbing shock, and regulating temperature. This "positive" fat is known as essential fat, while the "negative" fat is known as non-essential fat. Body fat percentage is used to determine the total fat present in the body and is based on each individual's gender and size. In the textbook “Concepts of Physical Fitness: Active Lifestyle for Wellness” by Corbin, it is stated that the location of fat influences health risk; depending on where the fat is located you could be considered an apple or a pear. A person considered an apple has fat in the upper body. This is often seen in men and menopausal women. The pear shape, more common in women than men, has more fat located on the hips and upper legs. Corbin defines visceral fat as fat located in the center of the body (abdominal cavity) and subcutaneous fat as fat located under the skin. There are several ways to determine body composition and the risks involved. In this lab, body measurements are taken to find your body fat percentage, waist-to-hip ratio, body mass index (BMI), and basal metabolic rate (BMR). For males, the skin folds of the chest, abdomen and thigh were taken, for females the triceps, iliac crest and thigh. Each person's age, height and weight, as well as waist and hip circumference, were recorded. The skin folds of the triceps, iliac crest, and thigh are 21 mm, 34 mm, and 19 mm, respectively, for a total of 74 mm. Using the sum of your skin folds (mm) and your current age (19), your body fat percentage… half of the paper… the amount of empty calories consumed. In conclusion, having a healthy lifestyle helps reduce the risk of health problems, regardless of whether you have a family history of diseases or not. Physical activity and making smart choices about how much and what you consume can extend your lifespan. Being aware of your body composition can help you identify your risk classification and can help you plan a way to avoid disease. Just as too much body fat can be harmful to your health, having too little fat can also be crucial to a person's health. The goal should be to have a balanced calorie intake and physical activity (calories in = calories out) for a healthy lifestyle. Works Cited1. Corbin, C. (2013), Fitness Concepts: Active Lifestyles for Wellbeing, McGraw-Hill Higher Education Publishing2. MACKENZIE, B. (2001) Body Types and Body Types [WWW] Available from: http