What Does a Body Composition Scan Actually Tell You? (InBody vs. DEXA, Explained)
- Dino Camire
- Jul 21
- 3 min read
If you've searched "body composition scan near me" or "bone density test near me," you've probably landed on a mix of results, some for gyms, some for medical imaging clinics, and it's not always clear what each one actually measures. Here's the honest breakdown, from a gym that runs these scans every day.
InBody vs. DEXA: they're not the same test
A DEXA scan is a medical-grade X-ray, typically used to measure bone mineral density (often ordered by a doctor to screen for osteoporosis). It can also estimate body fat and lean mass, but it's usually found in clinical or hospital settings.
An InBody scan, which is what we use at One Family Fitness, uses bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). You stand on it for about 15 minutes and it sends a painless, low-level current through your body to measure how much of you is muscle, fat, and water, broken down by segment (arms, legs, trunk). It does not measure bone density. If bone density specifically is what you're after, that's a conversation to have with your doctor about a DEXA referral.
What InBody is genuinely excellent at is giving you a repeatable, trackable snapshot of body composition, which is what most people actually want when they say "I want to know my body fat percentage." Weight alone doesn't tell you if you're losing fat or losing muscle. An InBody scan does.
What our InBody 380 scan shows you
Total body fat percentage
Skeletal muscle mass, broken down by limb and trunk
Total body water
Segmental analysis, so you can see left and right imbalances
A visceral fat estimate
Why this matters more than the number on the scale
Two people can weigh exactly the same and have completely different body compositions. Someone cutting calories without strength training often loses muscle along with fat. The scale goes down, but so does metabolism, strength, and long-term results. An InBody scan catches that before it becomes a problem, which is why we build it into ongoing coaching instead of treating it as a one-off gimmick.
What happens after your scan
A standalone InBody 380 scan is $49.99 and takes about 15 minutes at our St. Vital facility. For that price, you're walking away with more usable data than most comparable scans charge two or three times as much for: full body fat percentage, segmental muscle mass, total body water, and a visceral fat estimate.
You're not just handed a printout. Coach Dino and Coach Jen personally debrief your results with you in person, walking through what the numbers actually mean for your specific goals. After that, you get a text summary so you have it on hand and can track how things change over time.
For coaching clients, this isn't a one-off. Scans and in-person debriefs happen monthly as part of your ongoing program, so your coach is adjusting your training and nutrition based on what's actually changing in your body, not guessing.
Who this is for
Anyone who wants a real baseline before starting a fat loss or muscle-building program
Clients already training who want to confirm the program is working, not just the scale
Athletes and powerlifters tracking lean mass through a training block
Anyone who's tried DEXA or a gym-brand scale and wants a clearer, coach-interpreted read
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