Weighing scale to measure fat

kamalsingh101

Hi all,
I am willing to use fat% and lean muscle% to track my progress. I am using weight as of now but I am not too sure if that’s the right approach in long run.

Has anyone any experience with Omron body analyser.. can this be used?

Omron BF511 Family Body Composition Monitor - Turquoise https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0033AGBVQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_E579EDPGC5DAP3V191K5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

PS: planning to buy the above as gift to myself once I hit 25% of my total weight loss goal.

AnnPT77

Just my opinion (though bolstered by *some* facts): I think one can use a scale like that to establish a trend line, but that the absolute number(s) in the body composition readout can be misleading. In theory, 4-point like the model you linked could be a little better than 2-point, but it's still an estimate.

Also, any one reading could be distorted by circumstances, since it's basically just testing your body's electrical conductivity, and making statistically-based estimates of body composition based on that limited info. (Silly example: If my 2-point scale surface is damp, say if I maybe just wiped it off with a sponge, I can get a different body composition reading than when it was dry, with readings seconds apart.) If you think in terms of trend lines, you'll be able to ignore outlier instances, if they happen.

Watching people comment here about these scales, I think there's some common misunderstanding of the numbers, if they're in percents. (You linked what looks like a German language description, and I don't speak German, so I didn't check which this model does, absolute pounds estimates or percent estimates.) You may have the intuitive math chops, but I've seen people get frustrated with their strength routine if they didn't decrease body fat percent, but did increase weight, for example. In that scenario, *if* the estimates are accurate, they've potentially gained some pounds of muscle mass, y'know? Some don't seem to realize that's a possible interpretation.

These can be a fun toy, IMO, if one keeps the numbers in perspective, and looks at trends.

kamalsingh101

Thanks... I am planning to look at trends. Probably it will suit better than 2 point scale?

AnnPT77

kamalsingh101 wrote: »

Thanks... I am planning to look at trends. Probably it will suit better than 2 point scale?

In theory, potentially yes, as I understand it. How material that difference is, I'm not sure. And I'm not any kind of expert, just did some reading up for my own learning purposes.

sijomial

I used a very similar 4 point Omron scale and it proved a match to a BodPod used at 3 month intervals pretty closely. But then again I wasn't terribly impressed with the BodPod!

To me the Omron was more useful as I could do frequent readings which gave me more data points to track a trend. Although some of those data points were clearly suspect (variations in hydration are the usual culprit).
But when the Bodpod gave me a clearly rubbish estimate it would have been 6 months with no usable data.

Yes 4 point devices at least TRY to estimate both upper and lower body. As general points I would say some BIA devices are rubbish all of the time, some are reasonable some or most of the time, trending can be improved by discarding clearly poor data.

I would back it up with tape measurements and progress pictures if body composition is to be your guide. When the Omron broke I didn't replace it, the mirror, gym progress and my weight told me all I wanted to know.

BTW - the Omron was 2lbs out in measuring my weight when compared to a properly calibrated scale but a consistent error.

SnifterPug

Ive been using a 4 point Tanita scale for a few years. I use it once a week, same conditions so far as possible (on a morning when we won't have eaten out the day before, first thing after using the lavatory, unclothed, on a tiled floor). It has been fine at showing the trend but has come up with some gross aberrations some weeks. I've also noticed that it often comes up with a really peculiar first reading but if you then take two others, those two come out pretty much the same and make much more sense. So I've taken to using its second reading. When it gives up I won't bother replacing it. I do quite like seeing it telling me I have put on muscle in my torso, and lost fat, though the mirror and tape measure have already told me that.

PAV8888

The first and second reading are likely real ones.... and shows the randomness of readings

Once many scales figure out you're taking multiple readings... they give you the same value to enhance their reputation for consistency until they detect a significantly different value that they would attribute to someone else using the scale.

This is common among many scales in the market, not saying that it's what's exactly happening with yours. But you can explore by grabbing a jug of milk... and then putting it down again

swimmom_1

I have a body fat scale. Used to work pretty good. Still does just not on me. After giving my weight it says Err instead of the calculations. Kept trying it. Making sure my feet were damp, etc., like your supposed to. Could only find the quick guide not the full instructions. Got online and manual gives reasons why it won't work and different error messages. Err1-4. Mine only said Err not a numeral also.

Called customer service who referred me to someone else. I asked the girl, " My scale used to work before 2015. I changed the batteries. But I broke my leg in October 2015 and I have a lot of metal now up by my knee. Is that why it won't work now?" She said, "Yes it won't work if you have metal anywhere. Even a heart stent in." I said, "But I had broke my ankle, of the same leg in 1992, and have a plate and screws there too. I bought the scale after that and it worked then." She said, "It probably gave wrong readings then though."

To me itt seemed to work when I lost 133 lbs in 2009. Why I bought it and I don't remember it saying couldn't be used correctly if you have any metal in your body. Or I wouldn't have bought it. But from the break in 2015, I have a lot of metal near my knee (3 plates and about 20+ screws) now so just letting you know. Unless there are ones out there that will work with hospital grade metal. So works for my son but only weight scale for me now. Girl was surprised I wasn't getting shocked! I said, "From 4 AAA batteries? That's isn't enough to shock me."

coryhart4389

I have the Omrom you linked. 2nd one in about 10 years. The first one broke a few years back and just replaced it about a month ago. I like it and it gives fairly consistent readings. Like others have stated, the single reading is less important than the tread, imo. I'm very lean now, so occasionally I can't get a reading, but I just keep trying the following mornings. I'm guessing the body fat % error is around 5%. I estimated my body fat % @ around 10% and the scale reads 5.5% on mornings I get a reading. My recommendation is get this scale.

frankwbrown

I have a Withings Body+ (2 point) BIA scale. In addition to weight, it also estimates fat mass and lean mass (together making up total weight) and separately water mass and bone mass. It can fluctuate wildly but over time gives useful information. I chose it based on cost and connectivity; it syncs my weight and Body Fat % to MFP.
It's estimate of my bone mass has trended up about 0.2 lbs since July of last year, which is believable, but over the short term (day to day) it's estimate of my bone mass, while usually around 7.8 lbs, can vary from 7.5 to 8.2, which is ridiculous. However, I've noticed a correlation between a higher bone mass reading with a higher ratio of lean mass to fat mass, so I can take this into account when looking at it's estimate of my body fat percent.
I've had 3 DXA scans and made the following comparisons:
1. DXA body fat percent 1.5% higher than BIA, with a lower than normal BIA bone mass reading.
2. DXA body fat percent 0.5% higher than BIA, with an average BIA bone mass reading.
3. DXA body fat percent 1.5% lower than BIA, with a higher than normal BIA bone mass reading.
This leads me to believe the BIA reading is relatively accurate. IMO it is certainly a better metric to rely on than skin calipers or BMI.
I weigh daily and keep a Google spreadsheet of the data, so I can create charts of my progress. The following chart shows graphically the wild fluctuations that I see day to day:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vRcFXtctbGGGL8vceIxqkeRXVjo7rVLf7VgUD_TWlZi5N8PySGtWVOLBRbjk_rH_fQ1KOpwH73LB8uR/pubchart?oid=135891345&format=interactive