scale accuracy
sophie4222
Posts: 11
i just weighed myself on my scales, then weighed myself with a 1kg bag of sugar.
It was 54.4, and 55.5.... thats a difference of 1.1kg, right? So what does that mean? Do my scales tell me im heavier than i actually am, or lighter?
PS that weight is after ive eaten and stuff, so it isnt how/when i'd usually weigh myself (i.e. i usually weigh less haha)
It was 54.4, and 55.5.... thats a difference of 1.1kg, right? So what does that mean? Do my scales tell me im heavier than i actually am, or lighter?
PS that weight is after ive eaten and stuff, so it isnt how/when i'd usually weigh myself (i.e. i usually weigh less haha)
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Replies
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I don't know the answer to your question... but I'm so curious, how did you weigh yourself with a bag of sugar???0
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Your 1kg sugar doesn't take into the account of its packaging. And 100g isn't really anything to fuss about anyway0
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Your 1kg sugar doesn't take into the account of its packaging. And 100g isn't really anything to fuss about anyway
Ohhh you held it and weighed....0 -
There is only 0.1 kilo difference (excluding the sugar). This is why scales are only advised to be used as a tool, they aren't always accurate. You can get on a scale 5 times in the space of an hour and have 5 different readings. Maybe your 1 kilo bag of sugar was actually 1.1 kilo. Have you weighed the bag seperately? I really have no idea and it's really not that important.0
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i read somewhere else that 0.1kg wont seem like much but its going to increase as the weight increases, making the inaccuracy larger.
Anyway, if youre saying it doesnt matter, does that mean my scales are accurate?0 -
It means you got some free sugar.0
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You might be over thinking this0
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It means you got some free sugar.
^^this is the happiest explanation.
The other (less fun, but mechanically based) explanation is that most digital scales work with electronic strain gauges, which change their resistance based on their deformation (i.e., you stand on it and bend it --> electric signal is sent and then the scale says how much mass was placed on top to get that signal). If you move around or stand on a slightly different spot on the scale, you can change the signal. My scale can vary by up to 0.2 kg depending on where I put my feet.
Old-school scales mostly use spiral springs, but the "move two inches left and change the distribution of force/loading on the measuring element" effect is the same.0 -
Im not sure that any of you understand. Scales can be inaccurate and i want to know whether mine are! I weighed myself at a friends yesterday bc she wanted to know if her scales were wrong, and i weighed very different... so obviously now im not sure if my scales are right.
Can someone please answer my original question...0 -
I would think the digital ones are fairly accurate in general, the main thing is that you weigh yourself on the same set of scales, same time every week/every day, whatever your preference...and also that you are seeing the numbers generally moving downwards if thats your goal then all is ok
weighing yourself on different scales is always likely to show some difference...there could be 3 or 4lbs in it (not sure what that is in kg) stick to the same set of scales.
Scales can show differences being on tiled floors rather than carpet as well.
They are a guideline and not something we should be too hung up on.0 -
you speak a little sense, but it is important bc if my scales are inaccurate then my calculated BMI is inaccurate.There is only 0.1 kilo difference (excluding the sugar). This is why scales are only advised to be used as a tool, they aren't always accurate. You can get on a scale 5 times in the space of an hour and have 5 different readings. Maybe your 1 kilo bag of sugar was actually 1.1 kilo. Have you weighed the bag seperately? I really have no idea and it's really not that important.
If the scales weighed the sugar at 1.1kg, does that mean the weight it gives me would be higher than it actually is?0 -
There's no way to know to the level of accuracy that you require unless someone could independently weigh the bag of sugar you weighed at the same time of day.0
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Im not sure that any of you understand. Scales can be inaccurate and i want to know whether mine are! I weighed myself at a friends yesterday bc she wanted to know if her scales were wrong, and i weighed very different... so obviously now im not sure if my scales are right.
Can someone please answer my original question...
Trust us, we understand the problem here.
Completely.0 -
you speak a little sense, but it is important bc if my scales are inaccurate then my calculated BMI is inaccurate.There is only 0.1 kilo difference (excluding the sugar). This is why scales are only advised to be used as a tool, they aren't always accurate. You can get on a scale 5 times in the space of an hour and have 5 different readings. Maybe your 1 kilo bag of sugar was actually 1.1 kilo. Have you weighed the bag seperately? I really have no idea and it's really not that important.
If the scales weighed the sugar at 1.1kg, does that mean the weight it gives me would be higher than it actually is?
Did you actually weigh the sugar separately first?
Most likely it weighed 1.1 kg as the 1 kg refers to the net weight, ie not counting the packaging.
Probably the packaging weighs 100g.
Anyway 100 gm inaccuracy is not really going to change your BMI. Might change it by some fraction of a percent but that is totally not significant.0 -
Im not sure that any of you understand. Scales can be inaccurate and i want to know whether mine are! I weighed myself at a friends yesterday bc she wanted to know if her scales were wrong, and i weighed very different... so obviously now im not sure if my scales are right.
Can someone please answer my original question...
All scales can be inaccurate, for the reasons listed by other posters (and more). The idea is that you use the scale as a tool, not as an end-all for accuracy. As long as you're weighing on the same set of scales, under the same conditions daily (for example: first thing in the morning, after using the bathroom, wearing the same clothing - or lack of it - etc) to minimize fluctuations as much as you can, then really the best you can hope for is a downward trend. If YOUR scale shows you progressively losing weight, does it really matter if your scale started out off by 5 pounds? As long as it's still moving down, that's the point, right?
If you're going to really stress over it, get something that is going to have a static weight. NOT a package of sugar, which is allowed to have up to 20% more or less than it actually says it weighs on the package. Pick up a 10 - 15 lb dumbbell somewhere. Take it home and weigh it. If it weighs 15 pounds on your scale then you know your scale is "right." Take it to your friend's house and weigh it there, if ti weighs 15 pounds then her scale is also "right."0 -
You might be over thinking this
I'm just going to repeat this.0 -
Im not sure that any of you understand. Scales can be inaccurate and i want to know whether mine are! I weighed myself at a friends yesterday bc she wanted to know if her scales were wrong, and i weighed very different... so obviously now im not sure if my scales are right.
Can someone please answer my original question...
If your friend had more than one scale and you have more than one scale why didn't you use the average over several measurements to determine the variation?
Also, the buoyancy of the sugar in the air will change depending on how you hold it. Try it with a large box of breakfast cereal or packages of noodles and you'll see the difference clearly.0 -
We can't tell if your scales are inaccurate or if the sugar was heavier than one kilo or if your period is coming or if you moved your scales. How do you expect us to know that?? It is completely circumstancial. So many things affect the weight on the scale so without investigation we can't say if your scales are accurate or inaccurate. We understand completely what you are asking us but no one on this site can give you a yes or no answer to your question. Its not as simple as that. Read some of the answers people have given you. They have explained fully why the answer is not yes or no but why there is more to it. 0
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A nickel weighs 5 grams. Go to the bank and get 12,000 nickels. Add 20 at a time to your scale to check each 0.1kg increment. Problem solved.0
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It doesn't matter as long as you always use the same scales and are consistent with timing of weigh-ins.
It's a 20-30$ tool, not a several billion dollar atom splitter. It's not gonna be accurate to the nth degree.0 -
I agree that weighing a dumbell is probably the best way to tell if your scale is accurate. If you are really that worried about your BMI, it might be worth your money to get it professionally measured with skin pinchers (I can't remember the exact name) or some other item. The point here is that your weight is going to fluctuate during the day. If you are measuring yourself around the same time with the same scale with the same clothing on, you will know how much weight you have lossed. The number isn't nearly as important as how you feel, how you look, and how you think of yourself.0
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Put a ten pound weight on it and see if it says it weighs ten pounds.0
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Even if you use a $500 Legal For Trade medical scale that was certified to obtain your true weight you would still not be able to determine your actual BMI from the charts. BMI charts are not accurate for personal use even though they have become widely used.
To obtain your accurate BMI you will need to be tested. The degree of accuracy required will determine which test you use.
You can go get Hydrostatic, Air Displacement Plethysmograph or Caliper, Bioelectric Impedance tested.
more clinic and even more accurate methods include MRI and X-Ray Absorptiometry which are typically used in scientific research.
How accurate of a BMI do you require ?0 -
We can't tell if your scales are inaccurate or if the sugar was heavier than one kilo or if your period is coming or if you moved your scales. How do you expect us to know that?? It is completely circumstancial. So many things affect the weight on the scale so without investigation we can't say if your scales are accurate or inaccurate. We understand completely what you are asking us but no one on this site can give you a yes or no answer to your question. Its not as simple as that. Read some of the answers people have given you. They have explained fully why the answer is not yes or no but why there is more to it.
did anyone actually read my question???
i want to know whether the sugar weighing 1.1kg could mean that the scales are telling me i weigh more than i actually do, or less. If it weighed the sugar at more does that mean its weighing my weight at more?
anyway whatever, apparently it doesnt matter. -.-
PS even if my weight is decreasing, inaccurate scales will give me an inaccurate bmi.0 -
Even if you use a $500 Legal For Trade medical scale that was certified to obtain your true weight you would still not be able to determine your actual BMI from the charts. BMI charts are not accurate for personal use even though they have become widely used.
To obtain your accurate BMI you will need to be tested. The degree of accuracy required will determine which test you use.
You can go get Hydrostatic, Air Displacement Plethysmograph or Caliper, Bioelectric Impedance tested.
more clinic and even more accurate methods include MRI and X-Ray Absorptiometry which are typically used in scientific research.
How accurate of a BMI do you require ?
I dont use BMI charts, I use bmi calculators and they all use the same formula...0 -
Step 1: weigh yourself
Step 2: weigh just the sugar
Step 3: weigh yourself PLUS the sugar
Step 4: do math0 -
PS even if my weight is decreasing, inaccurate scales will give me an inaccurate bmi.
I addressed your accurate BMI concern.
As for the scale. You didn't provide enough info about your scale however as a general rule of thumb bathroom scales will be +/- 3%0 -
I dont use BMI charts, I use bmi calculators and they all use the same formula...
Calculators are just electronic charts. You need to be measured to be accurate.0 -
We can't tell if your scales are inaccurate or if the sugar was heavier than one kilo or if your period is coming or if you moved your scales. How do you expect us to know that?? It is completely circumstancial. So many things affect the weight on the scale so without investigation we can't say if your scales are accurate or inaccurate. We understand completely what you are asking us but no one on this site can give you a yes or no answer to your question. Its not as simple as that. Read some of the answers people have given you. They have explained fully why the answer is not yes or no but why there is more to it.
did anyone actually read my question???
i want to know whether the sugar weighing 1.1kg could mean that the scales are telling me i weigh more than i actually do, or less. If it weighed the sugar at more does that mean its weighing my weight at more?
anyway whatever, apparently it doesnt matter. -.-
PS even if my weight is decreasing, inaccurate scales will give me an inaccurate bmi.
People are answering your question; we're telling you that ANY SCALE has a MARGIN OF ERROR which is minimal but exists because technology isn't perfect.
You weigh on two different scales, you'll get two different weights a lot of time; chances are they've been calibrated slightly differently.
In regards to your weight loss, if you're weighing with the same scale, you know you're losing weight. And it wouldn't change your BMI reading because it's 0.1lb it is literally 100g. A glass of water weighs more.
Relax. You are over thinking this, and you're going to get some really rude responses.
(Also, BMI isn't an accurate indicator of health either -- welcome to the real world)0 -
We can't tell if your scales are inaccurate or if the sugar was heavier than one kilo or if your period is coming or if you moved your scales. How do you expect us to know that?? It is completely circumstancial. So many things affect the weight on the scale so without investigation we can't say if your scales are accurate or inaccurate. We understand completely what you are asking us but no one on this site can give you a yes or no answer to your question. Its not as simple as that. Read some of the answers people have given you. They have explained fully why the answer is not yes or no but why there is more to it.
did anyone actually read my question???
i want to know whether the sugar weighing 1.1kg could mean that the scales are telling me i weigh more than i actually do, or less. If it weighed the sugar at more does that mean its weighing my weight at more?
anyway whatever, apparently it doesnt matter. -.-
PS even if my weight is decreasing, inaccurate scales will give me an inaccurate bmi.
Did you actually read any of the replies?
The sugar does not weigh 1.1kg. The sugar and its package weigh 1.1kg. I couls see the packaging weighing 100g or more. Shoot, what if the packaging weighs like 150 or 200g? Then your scale is under-reporting your weight, and you;re heavier than you think.
Dump out the sugar and weigh the packaging on a food scale. This will get you closer to an answer.
ETA: and yes if it's a spring type scale, and there is an error, then the more you weigh, the larger the error will be.0
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