Do these digital home scales for measuring body fat really work?

August 20th, 2008 by admin

If so, how do they differentiate between body fat and muscle tissue?

Hey. I've got a Takita (or something else japanese-sounding) at home, and it measures bodyfat, bone mass, etc. The general consensus is that they're not really an accurate indicator of true bodyfat - they will tend to underestimate it. I know because a friend of mine who had one took a reading, and then proceeded to go to a laboratory where they measured it scientifically by placing him in a huge water tank and doing all sorts of whacky calculations and derivations, and let's just say the huge difference in % bodyfat that the lab came up with compared to his digital scale at home hurt his pride and ego somewhat. I dunno the precise ways they work, but they're supposed to send electrical signals or what not through your body, and since muscle is more dense than fat, they can make general predictions on what's fat and what's lean tissue based on signal response times. Or something like that. So, consider them a good rough guide, but certainly nothing accurate.

Kategorie : Digital Home

2 Kommentare to “Do these digital home scales for measuring body fat really work?”

  1. Nikki, on January 31st, 2007 at 1:10 pm Said:

    I bought one and don't like it. The reading is different every time I step on the scale.
    References :

  2. Andrew, on January 31st, 2007 at 1:14 pm Said:

    Hey. I've got a Takita (or something else japanese-sounding) at home, and it measures bodyfat, bone mass, etc. The general consensus is that they're not really an accurate indicator of true bodyfat - they will tend to underestimate it. I know because a friend of mine who had one took a reading, and then proceeded to go to a laboratory where they measured it scientifically by placing him in a huge water tank and doing all sorts of whacky calculations and derivations, and let's just say the huge difference in % bodyfat that the lab came up with compared to his digital scale at home hurt his pride and ego somewhat. I dunno the precise ways they work, but they're supposed to send electrical signals or what not through your body, and since muscle is more dense than fat, they can make general predictions on what's fat and what's lean tissue based on signal response times. Or something like that. So, consider them a good rough guide, but certainly nothing accurate.
    References :
    Experience

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