Dual-purpose strap could measure levels of visceral fat around abdomen, while still tracking heart rate during exercise
Polar is working on adding new body composition metrics to its market-leading heart rate monitors, Wareable can reveal.
In a new intellectual property filing, Polar has patented a way to measure deep-lying visceral body fat more effectively, via a torso-worn strap.
The patent speaks of a dual-purpose device that can be worn both around the abdomen to calculate the visceral fat and then around the chest to capture ECG-based heart rate data during training.
Update: Polar has confirmed that it’s bringing visceral fat detection to its wearables
Visceral fat is more dangerous for your health than visual (subcutaneous) fat, and more difficult to quantify because it is hidden the abdominal wall.
Cleveland Clinic describes it as “belly fat found deep within your abdominal cavity. It surrounds important organs, including your stomach, liver and intestines.” High levels of visceral fat are associated with heart disease and certain types of cancer and even dementia.
A tape measure around the naval is a way to roughly keep tabs on increasing/decreasing levels of visceral fat. Some smart scales also provide an estimate, by relying on a calculation based upon a general body fat reading. Polar says its technology improves upon both methods.
The patent explains the strap would operate both “in a first measurement mode where the sensor device is attached around an abdominal area of the user, receiving body composition measurement data measured by the first measurement circuitry, computing a quantity of fat tissue in the abdominal area on the basis of the received body composition measurement data, and outputting the quantity of fat tissue via an interface; and in a second measurement mode where the sensor device is attached around a chest of the user, receiving heart activity measurement data from the second measurement circuitry…”
The patent, first filed in January and published in early August, explains how an alternating current at varying frequencies could be used to perform a bioelectrical impedance analysis necessary to measure visceral fat.
“As known in the art, different tissues have different electric characteristics that can be measured via such bioimpedance measurements,” the patent says. “Fat tissue, muscular tissue and bone tissue all conduct electric current with unique characteristics.”
Other methods, such as ultrasound and ultra-wideband technology are also mentioned as possibilities for measuring visceral fat and distinguishing it from subcutaneous fat – i.e. the pudgy spots around the belly and hips.
The filing goes on to say the findings would be reported back to the user via a connected device. It may inform them visceral fat levels have risen or fallen. In the former case, users could then be advised to alter habits to lower the levels.
It says: “Both heart activity parameter(s) and the quantities of (visceral) fat may be used to generate user instructions. For example, the heart activity parameter(s) may be used to control the exercise according to an exercise plan.”
It goes on: “The quantities of fat may be used to guide the user in terms of exercising, nutrition, and sleep. For example, if the quantity of visceral fat tissue exceeds a threshold, the at least one processor may output an instruction to increase physical exercise and/or decrease nutrition, e.g. reduce food intake, reduce alcohol, and/or reduce fat or carbohydrate intake.”
It seems very plausible this technology could find its way into a forthcoming Polar device. Some patent filings chronical exploratory research and development at tech companies, which is never incorporated into a consumer product. However, this feels quite far along.
