Body Fat Scales
What are Body Fat Scales?
Body fat scales measure your percentage of
body fat. Similar to weighing scales in size and look but - in addition
to calculating what you weigh - they also calculate your body fat percent.
Awareness of body fat percentage is an important factor in developing
health and fitness routines, and is a benchmark for setting goals and
measuring weight loss progress.
How do Body Fat Scales Work?
Most body fat scales can be operated without
training or assistance. When you step on the scales and a sensitive foot-pad
sends a low, electrical current through the body fat to evaluate its composition.
According to studies it is a safe and harmless way to measure approximate
body fat, although accuracy is limited in the case of women who experience
unusually high water retention.
How is Body Fat Measured?
Body composition (fat and muscle tissue)
is calculated mathematically, based upon the speed at which the signal
passes through the body. The more muscle or lean tissue (muscles consists
mostly of water) a person has, the more water their body contains. The
greater the amount of water in a person's body, the easier it is for the
current to pass through it. Similar to stepping on a traditional scale,
it gives you a reading of both weight and body fat in about 30 seconds.
How to Use Body Fat Scales
- Check your body fat without wearing clothes,
as clothes may affect the results.
- Drink some of water (1 glass) one hour
before checking your fat percent.
- Do your fat-test when your bladder is
empty, each time at the same time of day - ideally a couple of hours
after getting up.
- Measure your fat at a similar room temperature
everyday, as skin temperature may affect the electrical current used
by the scales.
- Don't test yourself after exercising,
as dehydration after exercise may affect results.
Buying Body Fat Scales
Choose body fat scales with a suitable profile
for your needs. You may need to calibrate the machine differently for
different people, like kids or athletes. Price guide for regular scales:
$60.00- $200.00. Tanita machines are one of the most popular brands.
Are Body Fat Scales Safe?
Body fat scales use a technique called Bioelectrical
Impedance Analysis (BIA) to measure body fat where a small electrical
current is passed through the body. Generally, bioelectrical impedance
analysis is a safe and harmless way to measure body fat, except for one
specific category of user. Exception: individuals with pacemakers
and other internal medical devices or those taking heart medication or
diuretics should not use this type of (electrical current) body fat scales.
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