The disclosure relates to a method for determining a body composition parameter by applying a bioimpedance measurement on a subject, the overall body size and an impedance value of the body of the subject entering into the calculation of the body composition parameter. It is provided that when calculating the body composition parameter a term is additionally entered which constitutes a product of a previously determined coefficient and of a ratio of measured impedance values of different body segments of the subject. During the calculation of the ratio of impedance values of different body segments the ratio of the real parts of the impedances preferably takes the form ofxRTrunk/Extremities=RTrunk(RRightarm+RLeftarm+RRightleg+RLeftleg)/4.