A person with higher body fat will weigh what underwater?

When considering how body fat affects underwater weighing, it's important to understand the concept of buoyancy and density. Body fat is less dense than water, which means that an individual with a higher percentage of body fat will displace more water when submerged.

This situation results in an apparent loss of weight, as the buoyant force acting on the body while underwater counteracts the force of gravity. Consequently, when an individual with higher body fat is weighed underwater, they will register a lower weight compared to their weight on land.

This phenomenon is particularly relevant in hydrostatic weighing, a method commonly used to estimate body composition. Higher body fat leads to a lesser degree of weight underwater compared to individuals with lower body fat, who typically possess more lean mass and therefore greater density.

Understanding these principles helps clarify why the underwater weight would be less for someone with higher body fat.