How can a scale determine body fat

Although a scale is a useful tool in measuring weight loss, it is limited to evaluating only one component: weight. On the other hand, measuring body fat percentage is a better indicator of how well your diet and exercise program is working. Determining your body fat content once required a visit to a facility with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry or hydrostatic weighing — expensive, high-tech devices, in other words.

Another option was caliper measurements at the local gym or bioelectrical impedance analysis found at doctors' offices. But now, some high-tech scales promise to measure your body fat percentage at home. Here's what you should know about them. Body fat percentage is the amount of fat in your body compared to all the other components of the body. Here's what healthy numbers look like based on sex, according to the American College of Sports Medicine :.

Keep in mind, though, that body fat is just one measure of health, and there's no consensus on a specific percentage of body fat for "optimal" health.

Body fat scales use a technology called bioelectrical impedance analysis to measure body fat. Basically, you step onto a small sensor that sends a small, unnoticeable electrical current up one leg and down the other, measuring the amount of resistance it hits along the way.

Fat is a poor conductor of electricity compared to other components of the body, such as muscle. So the idea is that the more resistance the electrical current experiences, the higher the amount of fat in the body. These scales also measure your weight, and many connect to your smartphone or tablet, so you can easily track your weight and body fat measurements over time and monitor your progress.

You could gain pounds around kg of muscle over a period of several months. Researchers from Texas also tested a number of bioelectrical impedance analysis units, and found an equally large error when compared to the 4-compartment model [ 7 ].

Of the three bioelectrical impedance analysis devices they tested, the Omron HBF single-frequency hand-to-hand electrodes had the largest error for estimating body fat percentage, clocking in at 7. They were stronger. Their clothes fitted better. They looked better in the mirror. This left them feeling like all their hard work had been for nothing. Such was their faith in technology that they were more willing to believe a machine than what their eyes were showing them.

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Continue Reading about Muscle Evo. Continue Reading about Gutless. Skip to content Skip to primary sidebar Skip to footer. How accurate are body fat scales? See Also Muscle Evo — a training program for people who want to build muscle and get strong while minimizing fat gain. MX4 — a joint-friendly training program for gaining muscle as fast as humanly possible.

Body mass index BMI is perhaps a more reliable indicator of your overall health instead of counting on a body fat scale alone. So, an athlete with a lot of muscle, for example, could have a higher BMI based on their weight and height. Also, the CDC says that women, older adults, and people of Asian descent naturally have higher levels of body fat. All of these factors can limit the reliability of BMI as your sole measurement of health. While stepping on a scale is perhaps the easiest method of body fat measurement, there are other ways you can determine your body fat percentage.

Aside from BMI, you can ask your health provider about the following methods:. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute notes that your risk for heart disease and diabetes increases if you are a woman with a waist measurement greater than 35 inches Often used by fitness professionals, calipers are used to literally pinch your skin folds usually around the waist or hips to estimate your body fat.

The accuracy of this method varies. Results may be more or less accurate depending on the expertise of the person taking the measurement. Shop online for body fat calipers. Often used to measure bone mass for osteoporosis diagnoses, DEXA scans are also reliable methods of body fat measurement and can be more reliable than relying on BMI alone. The scans can be pricey depending on your location and may not be covered by insurance.

There are sensors on either side of the device that measure your body fat as you hold the device in front of you. Shop online for handheld fat measurement devices.

This test is based on the buoyancy of your body weight. Fat floats more easily than muscle. Based on your buoyancy and your weight, the person administering the test can calculate your body fat percentage.

Underwater testing is considered to be an accurate tool for measuring body fat. However, it can be difficult to find a center that has the ability to do this type of testing. The test can also be uncomfortable.