Understand and transform your body with Juniper
Discover your body make-up including fat percentage, lean mass and bone density to help you progress your weight loss journey.
What is a DEXA scan?
DEXA (Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry) is a quick and pain-free scan
that provides you with an in-depth analysis of your fat tissue, lean mass
and bone density.
With your DEXA baseline, you can adjust your programme to burn body fat, limit muscle loss, and maximise the effects of weight loss medication.
What a DEXA scan reveals
Calculate your body fat percentage
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Tells you the percentage of fat within your body in proportion to your muscle mass.
Measure your lean muscle
This is particularly important when you’re on a medical treatment for weight loss as you can lose muscle at a more rapid pace.
Estimate your Resting Metabolic Rate
Calculations from your DEXA results will let you know how many calories your body is burning at rest which determines the amount of calories you should consume each day.
Discover your bone density
Helps to shed light on the strength of your bones and assess your risk of osteoporosis which increases with age. At this stage, Juniper is able to provide bone density results for informational purposes only but not medical advice. Please consult a healthcare professional for any bone health concerns.
Track your progress
Seeing the results from your DEXA scan can be a great way to motivate yourself to continue to put in the hard work in achieving your weight loss goals.
Outline health risks
Measures your visceral fat levels which is important as too much visceral fat can increase the risk of health conditions like diabetes and heart disease.¹
How a DEXA scan supports your weight loss journey
Set your starting point
By measuring your body composition, you’ll get an accurate reading of your fat mass, muscle mass and bone density and any health risks that may be associated with this.
This detailed snapshot will not only give you a clearer view of your health but also helps you to understand your starting point, allowing you set realistic and personalised weight loss goals with your Juniper Health Coach.
Tailor the programme to your body
Your Juniper Health Coach will use your results to create a detailed report and action plan tailored to your body.
This will inform your calorie targets, meal plans, and movement strategies which are designed to optimise weight loss, promote lean muscle growth and reduce health risks.
Track your achievements
Using the tools in Juniper’s programme, track your progress in real-time. Your Health Coach will be right there with you, cheering you on every step of the way and supporting you when you need it most.
3-6 months in, you’ll be prompted to have a second DEXA to track changes in your body composition over time with medical-grade precision.
Why choose
Juniper for your DEXA scan?
What the experience looks like
We’ve designed the DEXA scan experience with your comfort, safety and privacy in mind.
We’ve partnered with My Vital Metrics, a trusted DEXA scan clinic in London. My Vital Metrics will make sure you feel comfortable and ready to have the scan before proceeding.
The scan is non-intrusive, pain-free and only takes 4 minutes to complete. Allow for 30 minutes for the whole experience.
Discover how your DEXA scan results influence your weight loss journey and unlock key insights and next steps in achieving optimal results.
Your Health Coach will work with you to create tailored health goals based on your results, arming you with the right tools, knowledge, and support to succeed.
Your team of experts
Meet our partner:
My Vital Metrics
Body performance specialists
My Vital Metrics is one of London’s best clinics specialising in body performance assessment.
They bring together the most advanced scientific equipment available in the United Kingdom, providing research-grade insights into your physical and mental well-being.
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Trusted by thousands
The team at My Vital Metrics is made up of experienced fitness professionals who are dedicated to helping people reach their goals.
They’ve completed over 5,000 DEXA scans, along with many other health assessments, earning the trust of thousands along the way.
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Located in central London
The My Vital Metrics clinic is easily accessible, conveniently located in central London, a few steps away from Moorgate and Liverpool Street stations.
FAQs
How does a DEXA scan work?
The scanner passes a small amount of two different X-ray beams through the body. The amount of radiation you receive from a DEXA scan is small and doesn't make you feel unwell. They use a much lower level of radiation than standard X-rays, which means that the the technical specialist carrying out the scan can even stay in the scanning room with you during the scan.
The rays are absorbed or pass through the body in known quantities. Different amount of the first beam will be absorbed by fat and by muscle, and the second beam will be absorbed by the skeleton.
By measuring the amount of each beam which makes it through to the sensor on the other side, we are able to tell how much fat and muscle and bone there is in that part of the body.
Is a DEXA scan safe?
Yes, DEXA scans are considered very safe. They use a much lower level of radiation than standard X-rays, which means that the radiographer (the technical specialist carrying out the scan) can stay in the scanning room with you during the scan.
The amount of radiation that you’ll be exposed to during your DEXA scan is very small - roughly the equivalent of about a day’s worth of background radiation just from living.²
The DEXA scanners are also regularly checked and calibrated.
What happens during a DEXA?
During your private DEXA scan you will be asked to undress to underwear and remove all jewellery/watches. Some light clothing can be worn (no jeans, heavy buckles etc) if you prefer to stay clothed.
A hospital gown can be provided if needed and bras with underwires will also need to be removed.
The DEXA technician will position you lying face-up on the bed, ensuring that you are evenly spaced.
They will also lightly secure your feet to each other so your legs can’t swing and slightly internally rotate your legs to flatten our your pelvis on the bed.
When the scan is operating the receiver arm will pass over your body in three sweeps, and will gradually build up a picture of you.
It is important that you are very still while the scan is happening to ensure the best quality image. Once the scan is over, the technician will tell you that it’s okay to get up, and get dressed again.
I have restricted mobility. Can I still use this machine?
You will be able to hold onto the machine for support and our technicians can lower the bed to a suitable point.
If you have severely restricted mobility due to bad knees, hips or are unable to move from lying to sitting unassisted, please chat to our team further to discuss how we could assist you during this process.
Additionally, the bed is able to hold bodyweight of up to 200kg/400 lbs.
Do I need to fast before my DEXA scan?
It’s recommended that you fast for 4 hours before the scan but you can still drink water.
If you have fasted, the results will be more accurate in showing your true body composition.
How long will I have to wait to receive my results?
You will receive a report from Juniper with the results of your scan within 3 business days from the scan - excluding weekends. The Medical Team at Juniper will review your results, and your Health Coaches will collate all the insights into your personalised report. You’ll receive a notification when your report is ready to review.
How much is a DEXA scan in the UK?
The standard cost for a DEXA scan for body composition in the UK is approx. £159 or more. Unfortunately the NHS at the moment doesn’t cover for DEXA scans for body composition checks.
However, if you choose to book your scan with Juniper you’ll pay £99 for the whole experience which includes how to prepare for your scan, the scan itself, an interpretation of your results plus bespoke next steps planned for you by a qualified Health Coach.
How often should I have DEXA scans?
We recommend waiting 3-6 months between DEXA scans to allow enough time for a change in your body composition to occur.
How long does a DEXA scan take?
The scan itself takes about 4 minutes, however, you should allow 20 minutes for the whole experience — taking into account arriving at the clinic, meeting your My Vital Metrics consultant, prepare for the scan, and wrap up the experience post scan..