Scales and Body Fat %

brillmer
brillmer Posts: 1,268 Member
edited January 22 in Health and Weight Loss
Hiyooooooooooo friends at MFP,

I have a general question about the body fat % reading that some digital scales give out.

I have a scale at home that does this. I don't really worry too much about the numbers anymore, I am trying to focus more on body composition than what a number on a scale tells me, but never the less I figured it's a good question to ask.

How accurate are the numbers that they spit out? What are they basing it on?

My scale knows my age, height and weight.. I stand on it for a few seconds and it tells me my weight, then if you stand for an additional 5 seconds, it gives you your "body fat %"

Really, all I care about is that I see that number going down.. Which must mean something... But is it anywhere close to accurate?

I can provide pictures and actual numbers if it could help anyone depict how accurate it is.

Replies

  • cmeiron
    cmeiron Posts: 1,599 Member
    I don't think they're very accurate, but they are kind of interesting in terms of demonstrating general trends. The number on mine (sounds like I have the same/similar scale) has consistently been going down as I've lost weight, so that's been interesting to see, but I definitely don't have a whole lot of confidence in the number itself.
  • caly_man
    caly_man Posts: 281 Member
    im curious how the scale bf% matches to something visual like this

    http://www.builtlean.com/2012/09/24/body-fat-percentage-men-women/
  • brillmer
    brillmer Posts: 1,268 Member
    I don't think they're very accurate, but they are kind of interesting in terms of demonstrating general trends. The number on mine (sounds like I have the same/similar scale) has consistently been going down as I've lost weight, so that's been interesting to see, but I definitely don't have a whole lot of confidence in the number itself.

    Yeah, that's pretty much the exact same mentality I have.

    bf-682.jpg

    I think that's the one I have, or pretty close to it anyway.
  • brillmer
    brillmer Posts: 1,268 Member
    im curious how the scale bf% matches to something visual like this

    http://www.builtlean.com/2012/09/24/body-fat-percentage-men-women/

    Yeah, based on what my scale tells me I'm at 19%

    Based on those pictures, I would say I am closer to 25%
  • caly_man
    caly_man Posts: 281 Member
    in the scheme of things, that's pretty close
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
    dampen your feet first. If they are bone dry it skews the BFP high.
    I, too, look at relative change more so than the absolute number. Based on what mine shows, I have gained 5 pounds of muscle while losing a total of 85 pounds so far. So I figure worst case I am doing well at losing mostly fat weight.
  • brillmer
    brillmer Posts: 1,268 Member
    in the scheme of things, that's pretty close

    Haha I hardly consider an extra 6% body fat pretty close! :P
  • brillmer
    brillmer Posts: 1,268 Member
    dampen your feet first. If they are bone dry it skews the BFP high.
    I, too, look at relative change more so than the absolute number. Based on what mine shows, I have gained 5 pounds of muscle while losing a total of 85 pounds so far. So I figure worst case I am doing well at losing mostly fat weight.

    Interesting.

    That's awesome. Keep it up!
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