body composition scales

etarre

I'm thinking about getting one of those fancy scales that measures your percentage of body fat, water, muscle, etc. but I've noticed that reviews on Amazon.com are very mixed-- a lot of people feel that they're really unreliable and haven't actually been helpful. Has anyone on here found a scale of this kind that they like and feel is accurate?

UpToAnyCool

:embarassed: sorry i don't have an answer for you - BUMP - but i have the same question.
i kind of wish i could afford to try out the bodpod, but i think a home scale is going to have to do!

edited for typos. hard to type w/ wings.

kksn

I have a Tanita scale (model #BF-681W) that wasn't too expensive and I've been very happy with. I had a bodpod assessment done a few months ago, and it was almost spot-on for the %body fat that I've been seeing on my scale at home. My scale has several features: weight (duh), % body fat (measures by using Bioelectric Impedance), % water comp (how hydrated you are affects weight and % body fat), and how many cals you should eat/day to maintain... you also set up your profile based on gender, height, and activity level. Now, I have never trusted or gone by the calorie recommendations on the scale, but I really like being able to see that the reason I put on an extra pound or so was because I was more hydrated today than yesterday (there's a memory recall for the last scale measurement that you can just push a button and see)... so it helps keep me from getting too discouraged. I would highly recommend getting a scale like this, because ultimately, even if it's not exactly accurate for the % body fat and water, it is still a stable benchmark by which to compare from day to day your level of hydration and how that is affecting your scale weight. Hope this helps, and good luck on the search!

PJilly

I have a Tanita scale, and it isn't even close to being accurate for body fat. (It's quite reliable for weight, though.) I had my body fat tested hydrostatically (dunk tank), and it was 21.5%. I had it tested via ultrasound, and it was 22%. My Tanita says it's 31%. :noway: I am quite sure that's not right.