kropsmasse

Kropsmasse, often translated as body mass, is the total mass of a living body, typically expressed in kilograms or pounds. It includes bones, muscles, fat, organs, and bodily fluids. It is a fundamental measure in medicine, nutrition, and sports, and it is distinct from body composition, which describes the proportion of fat, muscle, and other tissues.

In everyday use, kropsmasse is measured with a scale. More detailed assessments separate mass into components using methods such as bioelectrical impedance analysis or imaging techniques like dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).

Health-related interpretation depends on context. Height, age, sex, and frame size influence what counts as a healthy mass. Body mass index (BMI), calculated from mass and height, is a common screening tool, but it does not distinguish fat from lean tissue.

Extremes in kropsmasse are associated with health risks: very high mass increases the risk of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, while very low mass can indicate malnutrition or underlying illness. In athletes, high lean mass, or muscle mass, may coexist with normal or low fat mass, affecting interpretation.

Overall, kropsmasse is a basic, though limited, indicator of nutritional and health status, best understood in conjunction with body composition and other clinical information.