Glossary of body metrics
Plain-language definitions for the terms the calculators use, each with a concrete example and the tool that puts it to work.
47 terms and growing
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A
- A1CA1C is the proportion of your haemoglobin that has become glycated, reported as a…
- AI (adequate intake)An AI is used where the evidence is insufficient to set an RDA: it is an observed or…
- AMDR (acceptable macronutrient distribution range)The AMDR is the range of intakes for each macronutrient associated with adequate…
- Atwater factorsThe Atwater factors are the conventional energy values used to convert nutrients into…
B
- BMI (body mass index)BMI is weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. It was designed to…
- BMR (basal metabolic rate)BMR is the energy your body uses at complete rest to keep basic functions running. In…
- Body fat percentageBody fat percentage is fat mass as a share of total body weight. Every field method…
C
D
E
- eAG (estimated average glucose)eAG is an average blood glucose figure calculated from an A1C result, using the…
- EAR (estimated average requirement)The EAR is the intake estimated to meet the requirement of half the healthy individuals…
- EDD (estimated due date)The EDD is the date 40 weeks from the LMP. It is a midpoint of a distribution rather than…
F
- Fertile windowThe fertile window is the span of days in a cycle when intercourse can result in…
- FFM (fat-free mass)Fat-free mass is everything in the body that is not fat. It is often used interchangeably…
- Follicular phaseThe follicular phase runs from the first day of a period to ovulation. It is the variable…
G
H
- hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin)hCG is the hormone produced after implantation and measured by pregnancy tests. In early…
- Heart-rate reserveHeart-rate reserve is the gap between your resting heart rate and your maximum. Using it,…
- HRmax (maximum heart rate)HRmax is the highest rate your heart can beat during maximal effort. Every age-based…
I
- IFCC units (mmol/mol)IFCC units express A1C as millimoles of glycated haemoglobin per mole of total…
- ImplantationImplantation is when a fertilised egg embeds in the uterine lining, which is when hCG…
- IOM weight-gain rangesThe Institute of Medicine's 2009 guidelines give recommended total pregnancy weight-gain…
K
L
- Lean body massLean body mass is total body weight minus fat mass: muscle, bone, organs, water. The…
- LMP (last menstrual period)The LMP is the first day of your most recent period, and it is the anchor date for most…
- LMS methodThe LMS method describes a growth reference using three age-specific parameters — L for…
- Luteal phaseThe luteal phase runs from ovulation to the start of the next period. It is the more…
M
- Maintenance caloriesMaintenance calories is another name for your TDEE: the intake at which body weight is,…
- MET (metabolic equivalent of task)One MET is the energy cost of sitting quietly, defined as 3.5 mL of oxygen per kilogram…
- Mid-parental heightMid-parental height estimates a child's adult height from the parents' heights, adjusted…
N
- Naegele's ruleNaegele's rule estimates a due date as 280 days from the first day of the last menstrual…
- NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis)NEAT is all the energy you spend moving that is not deliberate exercise: walking to the…
- NGSPThe National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program certifies A1C assay methods against…
O
P
R
- RDA (recommended dietary allowance)The RDA is the average daily intake sufficient to meet the requirements of nearly all —…
- Resting heart rateResting heart rate is your heart rate at complete rest, ideally measured before getting…
- RMR (resting metabolic rate)RMR is energy expenditure at rest but under less strict conditions than BMR — you have…
- RPE (rate of perceived exertion)RPE is a self-reported effort rating, commonly on a 1–10 scale where 10 is a maximal…