Body Fat Testing

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perfect10isha
perfect10isha Posts: 200 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
From what I've seen it appears that the best way to find out your body fat is to either have a DEXA scan or do the hydrostatic body fat test (water). I would love to get the most accurate numbers but I haven't been able to find either one of those options in my city, and I heard they can be quite pricey.

My question: is there anyone who had their body fat tested by one of those methods above and also tested by a less accurate method (i.e. body fat scale or calipers), and were your results drastically different with the various methods?

Is getting something like a body fat scale even worth it if the accuracy isn't there?

Replies

  • julieh391
    julieh391 Posts: 683 Member
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    I just did a search for body fat testing and found this. I'm digging it up from the depths of the boards rather than writing my own post asking all the same questions.

    Anyone??
  • GetDemGainz
    GetDemGainz Posts: 60
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    I want to do the same as I am looking to be strong and lean.

    Any recommendations is appreciated.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
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    I don't think there's much utility in knowing your bodyfat period. Either you have fat to lose, or you don't.
  • Pinkgirl319
    Pinkgirl319 Posts: 80 Member
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    bump
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
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    I've had dexa and bioimpedance

    At lower body fat levels they were within 1-2%
    At higher bodyfat levels bioimpedance was off by 7-8%
  • StaceyJ2008
    StaceyJ2008 Posts: 411 Member
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    The water tank is the most accurate method. Most universities with an Exercise Physiology program have one. I know here where I live they charge like 50 bucks or something to test it for you.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    article on body fat. http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/07/02/body-fat-percentage/

    like rock said, there isn't really a benefit in knowing your exact body fat percentage. going by how you look in the mirror is just as accurate as using caliper's or the scale.

    one of the best ways to reduce body fat is to do strength training. go pick up some barbells.
  • downsizinghoss
    downsizinghoss Posts: 1,035 Member
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    If you want to know, google a BodPod. The air displacement test. It seems to be the best combination of accuracy vs. cost.
  • WillardsMommy1
    WillardsMommy1 Posts: 54
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    I have a body fat scale & at my gym I also have a higher tech hand held body fat device. The higher tech one is obviously more accurate, (i'm not sure what its called). My BF scale consistently shows aobut 6% above what the more accurate one does. (hopefully I'm right in thinking the scale is the least accurate....lol)

    The good thing about having a body fat scale is that even if the numbers aren't completely accurate, they should still be accurate enough to show if you are moving up or down. For instance years ago the scale showed about 15%. I was about 10-15 lbs less at the time & in much better shape. Now it shows much higher, with my 10 lb weight gain & lack of any sort of strength training for years. That makes me think its accurate enough to show a downward or upward trend.

    so if you record your baseline on the scale & continue to make progress, it should show a decreasing body fat % number even if that number is not entirely accurate.

    Hopefully that makes sense.
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,862 Member
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    I'm cheap... er, I mean frugal... so I just bought calipers. No, not as accurate as hydrostat testing which is the most accurate, but close enough for me and cheap.

    But I just Googled "hydrostatic testing" "My City, State" and came up with some locations, including mobile testing sites.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    look for bodpod locations, it's similar to hydrostatic in accuracy, and less invasive (you don't have to be submerged in water).
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Ever gotten a new scale, and the weight was different than the old one?

    So what did the overall number really mean in the end?
    Nothing.

    The body measurement methods using many sites can be 5% accurate if your body measures well, meaning several estimates should be within 5% of each other - http://www.gymgoal.com/dtool_fat.html

    Calipers can be 5% in the hands of experienced person doing 7 site method, and you having followed directions on hydration level - http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/BodyComp.html

    Bodyfat scale using BIA can be 5% if you follow the manual directions on time and hydration level. Some are more consistent than others, which is more important. You want 3% accuracy possible but it jumps from one side to the other of that 6% range? Or possible 5% off, but it's always off in one direction by 3%.

    Bodpod and hydrostatic weighing use the same method and 3%.

    DXA same 3%, but additional info regarding what composes the LBM, bones, water, muscle, ect?

    In the end, if you wanted the bodyfat% to calculate your best estimated BMR, 5% doesn't change the calories enough anyway.

    If just to have an exact figure, are you going to wear it as a sign on your back for others to see? Like some appear to wear their scale on their back with previous and current weight stated for all see.

    People see you in your clothes.

    It's great as a starting point, and at other points to confirm you aren't loosing LBM but just fat. But as long as method is consistent, you'll get that. Just don't switch methods.

    Maybe getting Bodpod (check universities, they'll have them for study testing usually available for public too) and then measurements or scale or caliper to compare and see what % off the others are.

    Then you do the cheaper method down the road and expect the same % off.
  • Arleigh7
    Arleigh7 Posts: 150 Member
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    As someone who has had 2 DXA Scans (in July when I weighed 245lbs, and then again in November at 215 lbs) I highly recommend it. I bought a 3 pack of scans so that helped to reduce the price ($135 for 3 vs $80 each).

    Before doing the 2nd scan I had set my weight goal at 215lbs but the scan showed areas of heavy fat deposits and my Body fat % was still too high so I've reset my goals to 195 and then will do the scan again.

    When I get my body fat down to where I want I'll change up my diet and excercise to focus on gaining muscle weight. But I've found these scans to be really valuable in helping me understand where my body is and what my goals should be. I believe having as much information as possible really helps to make the right decisions about your health.

    Hope this helps.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    As someone who has had 2 DXA Scans (in July when I weighed 245lbs, and then again in November at 215 lbs) I highly recommend it. I bought a 3 pack of scans so that helped to reduce the price ($135 for 3 vs $80 each).

    Before doing the 2nd scan I had set my weight goal at 215lbs but the scan showed areas of heavy fat deposits and my Body fat % was still too high so I've reset my goals to 195 and then will do the scan again.

    When I get my body fat down to where I want I'll change up my diet and excercise to focus on gaining muscle weight. But I've found these scans to be really valuable in helping me understand where my body is and what my goals should be. I believe having as much information as possible really helps to make the right decisions about your health.

    Hope this helps.

    How much LBM did you lose during that time?

    And are you planning on doing the same routine that caused that loss for the last bit?

    Either way, should start lifting now to retain muscle, you have much less window for errors now without causing undesired effects.
  • weird_me2
    weird_me2 Posts: 716 Member
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    I have a handheld Omron body fat monitor. It was twenty something off Amazon, and I really like it. While it may not be completely accurate, it does give you a picture of where you are heading. It can help you get a good gauge of the progress you are making.

    I actually think it works pretty well for me. I used a similar device ten years ago in college and weighed about 40 lbs less. My body fat % was definitely less, and in fact my LBM at that time was only a few pounds more than it's calculated to be now. I use it every single morning when I weigh in and record it and my weight. Every single morning, the body fat% has fluctuated a bit, but the interesting thing is that my LBM measurements have only fluctuated by .3 lbs with the fluctuations of the body fat %. This tells me that it's pretty accurately measuring my LBM, which is what I want to measure.
  • CarrieStL
    CarrieStL Posts: 162 Member
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    BUMP!
  • ma3944
    ma3944 Posts: 3
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    I have done the handheld and the hydrostatic tank within a few weeks of each other and got about the same result. Anecdotal evidence from people I have talked to say the handheld is less accurate.

    I do, however, agree somewhat with some other posts that the exact number is not that important. My contention is that the trend is what you want. If you want to lose fat and see that number go down, then the absolute value maybe is not as important.

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