Regional bioelectrical impedance analysis: applications in health and medicine.

Although skeletal muscle mass represents the largest organ in the human body and plays a critical role in energy metabolism, its routine assessment has been limited by the availability of practical methods. This review critically evaluates traditional and new applications of the four-electrode bioelectrical impedance method in determining regional skeletal muscle mass or volume and assessing muscle function in health and disease. It also describes opportunities for research in the use of regional bioelectrical impedance.