How to Read Your DEXA Scan Report: A Beginner’s Guide

If you've just completed your first DEXA scan—congrats! You're now equipped with one of the most comprehensive and accurate views of your body composition. But if the report looks like a mix of charts, numbers, and color maps, don’t worry.

This beginner’s guide will help you break it down and understand exactly what your DEXA scan report is telling you—so you can take informed action on your health and fitness goals.

1️⃣ What Is a DEXA Scan Report?

Your DEXA report provides a precise breakdown of your body composition, including:

• Total and regional body fat
• Lean muscle mass
• Visceral fat
• Bone mineral density (BMD)

It’s used by athletes, fitness enthusiasts, medical professionals, and anyone on a fat loss or health optimization journey to track progress and fine-tune their approach.

2️⃣ Key Sections of the Report Explained

1. Total Body Fat Percentage

This number reflects the percentage of your body made up of fat.

• Healthy ranges:
  • Men: 10–20%
  • Women: 18–28%
• Athletes may fall lower, but extremely low levels can impact hormone function and long-term health.

2. Lean Mass

Lean mass includes muscle, organs, and water—everything that isn’t fat or bone.

• You'll see total lean mass and regional lean mass (e.g., left arm, right leg), which helps spot muscle imbalances.
• Ideal for tracking muscle gain or recovery post-injury.

3. Visceral Fat

This is the fat stored around your internal organs, and it's the most important fat marker for long-term health.

• High risk: Over 1000g of visceral fat
• Goal: Keep under 500g, or steadily reduce with training + diet
• DEXA scans are one of the only ways to accurately measure visceral fat

4. Bone Mineral Density (BMD)

Essential for bone strength, especially as we age.

• T-score: Compares your bone density to a healthy 30-year-old
  • ≥ -1.0: Normal
  • 1.0 to -2.5: Osteopenia
  • < -2.5: Osteoporosis
• Z-score: Compares your bone density to others your age/sex

5. Fat Mass Index (FMI)

FMI adjusts fat mass relative to your height, making it more accurate than BMI for body composition insights.

• Useful if you’re muscular but labeled “overweight” by BMI
• Ideal for tracking fat loss without muscle loss

3️⃣ Color Maps: What the Colors Mean

Your report likely includes a color-coded visual of your body composition:

• Red/Orange: Higher fat areas
• Green/Yellow: Leaner regions
• Blue: Lower density or lean tissue

This visual makes it easy to track fat and muscle distribution changes over time—especially helpful during body recomposition phases.

4️⃣ How to Use Your Report

• For Fat Loss: Focus on reducing total and visceral fat while preserving lean mass
• For Muscle Gain: Track regional lean mass increases and symmetry
• For Longevity: Prioritize low visceral fat and strong bones
• For Symmetry & Injury Prevention: Use left/right comparisons to correct imbalances

5️⃣ Track Progress with Regular Scans

A single DEXA scan gives you a baseline—but the real value is in comparison over time. We recommend:

• Every 1–2 months

You'll be able to:

• See if fat loss is coming from visceral fat or muscle
• Spot trends in bone density
• Measure effectiveness of your training, recovery, or diet plan

Book Your DEXA Scan in San Francisco at KALOS Today

If you’re ready to take control of your health with the most accurate body composition analysis available, it’s time to book your DEXA scan at KALOS.

Whether you’re looking to get lean, build muscle, improve performance, or optimize longevity, our advanced technology and expert guidance will help you get there.

📍 Schedule your scan today at KALOS—because real data leads to better results.

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