Body fat scale?!...

Highly inaccurate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioelectrical_impedance_analysis.

I remember one time mine read 21%then morning I was going to get a real test. The real test was 9%.

Yeah, have to be barefoot and usually well hydrated.

I sure hope mine is wrong! It says 40%! I have a Tanita digital. I always weigh barefoot.

Me too. I almost cried. I have the Wii Fit and when it measured my body fat it said I was obese and my number was something like 24.6%
I always felt overweight, but never look at myself in the mirror as obese. Shocked and hurt me. :ohwell:
I guess it's time for a reality check!

Thts what i thought lol the first time i stepped on it i was at 25.5% ( i wore socks) i took of my socks and my bodyfat % dropped down to 20.2%

the only other ''real test'' i had was with the thing that you hold in front of you and type in your age weight ect) it read 18% but i think this is just as inaccurate as the scale i need to talk to my doc and see if he can measure it

They won't work when you are wearing socks. It uses the resistance of electrical signals through your body to calculate your body fat %. Actually I believe it comes up with other calculations that then are calculated into body fat %. This is the same as those ones you hold in your hands.

Mine has not been that far off as compared to calipers, but I am guessing results will vary.

From measurement to measurement it seems consistent with itself, so I figure it is a useful guideline.

I just stepped on my new scale and was SHOCKED when my Bodyfat% popped up... how accurate do you think are those measurments?!

I found this information to be VERY HELPFUL

http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/bodyfatscales.html

Good luck

Excellent article.

So while they may not be accurate in the sense of showing your actual BF% (although it sounds like they can be when you fit the profile of the formula they use) they are accurate in showing changes in BF%. I thought that was the case, now I have had it confirmed.

Thts what i thought lol the first time i stepped on it i was at 25.5% ( i wore socks) i took of my socks and my bodyfat % dropped down to 20.2%

the only other ''real test'' i had was with the thing that you hold in front of you and type in your age weight ect) it read 18% but i think this is just as inaccurate as the scale i need to talk to my doc and see if he can measure it

They won't work when you are wearing socks. It uses the resistance of electrical signals through your body to calculate your body fat %. Actually I believe it comes up with other calculations that then are calculated into body fat %. This is the same as those ones you hold in your hands.

Mine has not been that far off as compared to calipers, but I am guessing results will vary.

From measurement to measurement it seems consistent with itself, so I figure it is a useful guideline.

but the thing is it goes up and down 3-5 % on some days that tells me that it CANT be accurate.... you can gain fat FAST but not within 24 hours lol ... you are right i am going to use it as a guideline but i would really like to get a REAL test done

Real test are great, but usually fairly pricey. Back when I still have a gym membership they would do fitness evaluations even couple of months including measuring with calipers. That is more accurate, but for real accuracy you need something like a body pod or some of the ones that weigh you in a tank of water. They are much more expensive.

The article linked above explains some of the variation. Things like whether you had a glass of water, changes in the room temperature, physical activity will all change it. The advice they give will help you to remove the other variables.

I weight the same way every morning at about the same time, and mine seems quite consistent. It might vary +/- .2 or .3 % if I get off then get on again. That is not enough for me to complain that it is very inconsistent. Mine cost more that $20 though.