Q: I am 27 years old. I am 159 cm tall and weigh 50 Kg. I took a body fat reading in body fat analyser, which uses Bioelectrical Impedance Method. It said that I am 'over-fat'. I couldn't belive it because my friends and relatives always advise me to eat more since I look very lean. Can a lean person have more fat? Is this machine reliable?

A:They say sometimes too much of knowledge is a dangerous thing. In your case, if you feel that you are not too overweight and your parents and loved ones say you need to eat more because you look too lean, then it could perhaps be so. Although todays gadgets have a way of detecting everything, please do not give too much emphasis on that information if all other indicators swing the other way. As I see your height and weight at the bottom of this letter, you seem to be ok for your age. The idea is to feel good and fit.