A DEXA scan measures bone, muscle and fat, including the fat around your organs. A VO2 max test measures your fitness, which is strongly linked to long-term health. Both are most useful repeated over time, so you can see whether your training is working.
The tests, in plain English
Think of it like checking a car. DEXA looks at the frame: your bones and muscle. VO2 max tests the engine: how well your heart and lungs deliver oxygen.
DEXA scan
A low-dose X-ray that measures your fat, muscle and bone density, including the fat around your organs. You lie still for about 10 minutes.
Cash price: $65 to $249
For: Anyone tracking muscle, fat or boneVO2 max test
Measures how well your body uses oxygen while you exercise hard, on a bike or treadmill with a mask on. Fitness is one of the strongest signals of long-term health.
Cash price: $100 to $675
For: Anyone who can safely exercise hardResting metabolic rate
Measures how many calories you burn at rest by analyzing your breath while you sit quietly. Useful for planning nutrition and weight goals.
Cash price: $50 to $300
For: People working on weight or nutritionBioimpedance body composition
A scale or handheld device that sends a tiny current through your body to estimate fat and muscle. Quick and cheap, but readings shift with how much water you have had.
For: A quick check between DEXA scansStrength, mobility and balance
Simple tests like grip strength, standing up from a chair and holding your balance. Quick, cheap, and closely tied to staying independent as you age.
For: Everyone, especially from midlife onPrices that clinics publish on their own websites, across all the cities we cover. Prices change, so confirm with the clinic.
Physical activity in Denver-Boulder, by the numbers
The rate of physical inactivity in Denver-Boulder is lower than the national rate. About 1 in 6 adults in Denver-Boulder did no physical activity outside work in the past month, compared with about 1 in 4 nationally. That adds up to roughly 430,000 adults across seven counties.
CDC estimates. PLACES figures are modelled from a national health survey, not counted from medical records, so read them as estimates.
See how the seven counties compare
| County | No exercise outside work | Obesity | Serious difficulty walking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | 17.0% | 21.6% | 8.9% |
| Arapahoe | 18.0% | 26.1% | 9.6% |
| Jefferson | 13.3% | 23.1% | 9.3% |
| Adams | 22.8% | 33.2% | 11.2% |
| Douglas | 13.7% | 25.3% | 7.8% |
| Boulder | 12.1% | 16.7% | 8.4% |
| Broomfield | 13.5% | 22.3% | 8.1% |
| Denver-Boulder | 16.5% | 24.5% | 9.3% |
| United States | 25.1% | 33.2% | 13.8% |
Source: CDC PLACES, 2023 county estimates. Denver-Boulder = Denver, Arapahoe, Jefferson, Adams, Douglas, Boulder and Broomfield counties, weighted by adult population.
longevityclinicshub.comYour regular doctor is the place to start, especially before a big change in how active you are. The tests above show where you're starting from, so progress is easier to see later.
