What are the Styku Basic and Advanced body composition models, and which should I use?
What are the Styku Basic and Advanced body composition models, and which should I use?
Styku offers two body composition algorithms — Basic and Advanced — under the Phoenix body composition system. The model selected determines how body fat percentage is calculated, which metrics are available, and which classification ranges are applied.
How Styku Estimates Body Composition
Styku's 3D infrared camera captures a precise body model in under one minute. The software extracts hundreds of circumference, volume, and shape measurements from the 3D scan. Those measurements, combined with height, weight, age, and sex, are fed into a prediction algorithm that estimates body composition. All body composition methods — including BIA, DEXA, BodPod, and hydrostatic weighing — are estimates; none measures fat directly (only cadaver dissection can do that). Styku's advantage is that it requires no pre-test protocols (no fasting, hydration restrictions, or exercise avoidance).
Basic Model (2-Compartment)
The Basic model separates the body into two compartments: fat mass and fat-free mass (muscle, bone, water, and organs combined). It was calibrated against a Seca BIA device to produce results comparable to popular bioelectrical impedance devices like InBody and Seca.
Because it groups bone with lean tissue, the Basic model reports lower body fat percentages than the Advanced model — typically 8–10 percentage points lower. BIA technology tends to underestimate body fat in overweight individuals and overestimate it in lean individuals.
Basic model metrics: body fat %, fat mass, fat-free mass, body fat categories (using ACE classification based on WHO research).
The Basic model does not provide regional body composition values (no android/gynoid, visceral fat, subcutaneous fat, bone mass, lean mass, or ALSTI).
Advanced Model (3-Compartment)
The Advanced model separates the body into three compartments: fat mass, lean mass, and bone mass. It was developed and validated using data from 246 subjects (143 female, 103 male) scanned on both a Styku scanner and a DEXA-Hologic device at Pennington Biomedical Research Center (Louisiana State University), funded by the NIH. Data was collected between December 2016 and March 2018.
The Advanced model shows a correlation of 0.95+ with DEXA for fat mass prediction. An independent peer-reviewed validation (Bennett et al. 2022, published in Clinical Nutrition) confirmed strong concordance in a diverse population of 188 adults (ages 18–89, BMI 14.2–51.3, five ethnicities) with no significant differences by age, sex, race/ethnicity, or BMI.
Advanced model metrics (in addition to all Basic metrics): lean mass, bone mass, android fat mass, gynoid fat mass, visceral fat (VAT), subcutaneous fat (SAT), ALSTI (sarcopenia screening), and body fat categories using Mayo Clinic and NIH research.
The Advanced model is validated for adults 18 and older.
Metrics by Model
Metric | Basic | Advanced
Body fat % | Yes | Yes
Fat mass (lbs/kg) | Yes | Yes
Fat-free mass | Yes | N/A (separated into lean + bone)
Lean mass | No | Yes
Bone mass | No | Yes
Android fat mass | No | Yes
Gynoid fat mass | No | Yes
Visceral fat (VAT) | No | Yes
Subcutaneous fat (SAT) | No | Yes
ALSTI / sarcopenia screening | No | Yes
Body fat categories | Yes (ACE/WHO) | Yes (Mayo Clinic/NIH)
21 circumferences | Yes | Yes
BMI, WHR, WHtR, TLVR | Yes | Yes
Disease risk assessments | Yes | Yes
Posture (shoulder/hip shift) | Yes | Yes
Shape score, volumes, BSA | Yes | Yes
Circumferences, anthropometric ratios, disease risk assessments, posture metrics, and shape/volume measurements come directly from the 3D scan and are available regardless of which body composition model is active.
Body Fat Classification Tables
Advanced Model (Mayo Clinic / NIH Research):
Category | Men | Women
Essential Fat | 5–7.9% | 12–15.9%
Athlete | 8–11.9% | 16–22.9%
Fit | 12–20.9% | 23–34.9%
Average | 21–27.9% | 35–39.9%
At Risk | 28%+ | 40%+
Basic Model (ACE / WHO Research):
Category | Men | Women
Essential Fat | 2–5% | 10–13%
Athlete | 6–13% | 14–20%
Fit | 14–17% | 21–24%
Average | 18–25% | 25–31%
At Risk | 26%+ | 32%+
Choosing a Model
Scenario | Recommended
Weight loss, medical, or wellness clients | Advanced
Clients comparing to prior DEXA results | Advanced
Clients comparing to prior BIA/InBody results | Basic
Most accurate body composition data | Advanced
Members already familiar with BIA body fat ranges | Basic
Health risk conversations (visceral fat, sarcopenia) | Advanced
Advanced is the default on Styku Studio V5.56 and later. The Styku mobile app uses the Advanced model exclusively.
Important: Choose one model and apply it consistently for each client. Switching models between scans produces results that are not directly comparable. If a client's body fat category seems unexpectedly high, confirm which model is in use before drawing conclusions.
Applies to: All Styku configurations