Bodpod- is it worth it?

The Bod Pod has been used at the NFL Combine for years to test players. Considering they could use any method they want as cost is really not an issue, to me says it is the most reliable and repeatable out there.

Up to you if the info you get is worth the cost. What is a test going for now? Seems like it was around $50 locally a few years ago.

I would say it's a silver standard rather than the gold standard of hydrostatic testing or DEXA scans.
It's cheap, quick, repeatable, convenient, needs no great skill to operate and non-invasive which makes it popular. Doesn't make it the best.

I used to do 6 monthly BodPod scans and whether the number was accurate or not I have some doubts but it showed mostly a reasonable trend compared to tape measure and visual clues.
I did have one that came up with very contrary results though - I was visually leaner with bigger arms and legs and smaller waist but got a higher fat reading.

It's interesting on it's own just out of curiosity - for me that made it worth the cost.

One thing I did was take along my bathroom scales and BIA scales. They should use a properly calibrated scale so a chance to compare yours. My cheap scales were perfectly accurate and the more expensive scales were 2lbs out.
My 4 point BIA scales actually came out with fairly similar BF% and followed the same trend if you evened out the short term fluctuations.

In the end I moved away from needing numbers and just look in the mirror and think "that's ok" (or sometimes "that's not ok").

sijomial wrote: »

I would say it's a silver standard rather than the gold standard of hydrostatic testing or DEXA scans.
It's cheap, quick, repeatable, convenient, needs no great skill to operate and non-invasive which makes it popular. Doesn't make it the best.

I used to do 6 monthly BodPod scans and whether the number was accurate or not I have some doubts but it showed mostly a reasonable trend compared to tape measure and visual clues.
I did have one that came up with very contrary results though - I was visually leaner with bigger arms and legs and smaller waist but got a higher fat reading.

It's interesting on it's own just out of curiosity - for me that made it worth the cost.

One thing I did was take along my bathroom scales and BIA scales. They should use a properly calibrated scale so a chance to compare yours. My cheap scales were perfectly accurate and the more expensive scales were 2lbs out.
My 4 point BIA scales actually came out with fairly similar BF% and followed the same trend if you evened out the short term fluctuations.

In the end I moved away from needing numbers and just look in the mirror and think "that's ok" (or sometimes "that's not ok").

Hydrostatic testing is very good, but accuracy relies on the ability of the subject to empty his lungs of air. If they are not instructed correctly, can't do it, aren't comfortable in water, etc the accuracy goes out the window.

Bodpod is accurate, easy & fast. Calipers depend on skill of the user and can only pinch the subcutaneous fat-not visceral fat. I got a Bodpod test done in January and hydro a few months later. Both great ways to test BF but Bodpod takes 5 minutes and you don't get wet!

I did one last month for the first time and found it worth the money (it was $80, which is the highest I've seen, but I'm okay with it). My weight loss has slowed/stalled a lot this past year, I've been working more with weight lifting and I wanted validation that even though the scale hasn't moved, that the weights are doing something. It's so hard to see changes in yourself in the mirror. I was pleasantly surprised to be "moderately lean" at 26.8%. I started this whole journey over 44% (calipers at the gym 7 months after I started trying to lose weight). The info/numbers helped me decide on a goal weight (with the help of my dietician), one more realistic than what I set out to reach. I will try it again in a few months. To me it was worth the money. And I was surprised to see that my home scale's numbers had me at 26 point something as well. I'd heard they weren't accurate so I never really paid much attention to all the info that pops up after the weight (usually because I'm hopping off and cursing).

They have one where I work and it's free. Thank goodness...$60 is a lot. I'm thinking of a new business...mobile bod pod!

lorrpb wrote: »

My understanding is that it's the most accurate BF method, equal to the hydro tank, . . .

Absolutely NOT true!!

The BodPod has been found to be the LEAST accurate method of measuring LBM & BF w/an error rate for individuaks of up to 15% as compared w/Hydrostatic Testing at 5-6% and DXA up to 8-10%

See:http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/index.php/free-content/free-content/volume-1-issue-4-the-pitfalls-of-body-fat-measurement-parts-3-and-4-bod-pod-and-bioelectrical-impedance-bia/the-pitfalls-of-body-fat-measurement-part-3-bod-pod/

Calipers in the hands of a SKILLED user would probably get a gross measurement better than a BodPod and maybe even as good as with Hydro and DXA. Bioelectrical would be the least accurate out of all of them.

Whether it is "worth" getting a BodPod or any other BF measurement done is a highly subjective choice based on cost snd the importance of the data to the individual.

If given other choices, I would never choose doing a BodPod over Hydro or DXA but, if it's the only method available, then it really just cone down to whether you can live w/the cost and the potential error in the results.

PS: I have measured my BF uding both DXA and Hydro but have never used a BodPod and, based on what I've read and heard about it, probably never will.