Body Fat Scales

goddessofawesome wrote: »

It's ok if you're just looking to keep track of your trend. I know that mine is off BF% wise as it will fluctuate in a huge way depending on time of day I weigh myself and how hydrated I am (I have tested it and it fluctuates 5%). As far as the calipers go: those aren't accurate either. The percentage of your BF will fluctuate depending on how old you are. There is a chart that you consult and it's based on age. I used to get my BF done with the calipers and I would watch them calculate it and for someone that was a year or two younger than me for the exact same measurements their body fat was quite lower. Which makes no sense. Why should my AGE determine how much my body fat is? After that I stopped having it done and went on my measurements instead. Would I like to know how much BF I have? Sure but until I can find some place that can give me close to 100% accuracy I won't be too concerned.

I think the reason is that your skin and underlying tissue gets thinner as you age. I had a birthday two weeks ago and my bodyfat suprailiac calculation went up by 0.2% overnight even though the measurement had not changed from 6mm. If I was 20 years old, that 6mm would mean that I'm 8% bodyfat. (I think. I'm going from memory.) But at 61 yrs old, that 6mm puts me at 14.7%. It doesn't seem fair.

Still, the calculations are based on averages from the general population. Just because I'd like the calipers to tell me that I'm 8% bodyfat at 6mm does not mean that the calculations are wrong.

I just saw something else that puts the apparent unfairness of the relationship between bodyfat and age. While a lot of the calculators consider you fatter than someone younger with the same measurements, the chart on this page works in our favor. According to the chart toward the bottom of the page linked below, I'm in better than excellent shape. (The lowest they go for 60+ yrs old is 20.3%. I'm about 14%.) If a 20 year old is 20.3% bodyfat he's considered to be in fair to poor shape.

Finally. Justice.

changingshape.com/calculators/body-fat/