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Most accurate online body fat percentage calculator?

NadNight
Posts: 794 Member
My scales don't measure body fat percentage so I tried a few online calculators which gave me results ranging from 8% to 26%. Does anyone know of a calculator or method of working out body fat percentage that's accurate?
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Replies
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Calculators aren't going to be accurate... probably less accurate than a scale. The better choices are body fat calipers or a Dexa/hydrostatic test.2
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I don't think an online calc or biometric scales are going to be very accurate at all.
Why do you need to know your %BF? Is it to use in determining your calorie intake or just "out of interest"?1 -
I've used a few but just as a ballpark. There's too many margins of error for any of them to be accurate.2
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StealthHealth wrote: »I don't think an online calc or biometric scales are going to be very accurate at all.
Why do you need to know your %BF? Is it to use in determining your calorie intake or just "out of interest"?
Just out of interest2 -
Online body fat calculators are a total crapshoot. They're about as accurate as online personality tests, really.5
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I recently had a hydrostatic test done. The result for me that day, 14.3% compared to the online photographs of various body fat % people, showed me that simply comparing me in the mirror to those photographs gave a good approximation. I looked like the 15% guy.6
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To answer the question, this site http://www.fat2fittools.com/tools/ has three different calculations. They vary a lot. I know they are estimates but if you want to take a stab in the dark, try them.1
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Tacklewasher wrote: »To answer the question, this site http://www.fat2fittools.com/tools/ has three different calculations. They vary a lot. I know they are estimates but if you want to take a stab in the dark, try them.
This was interesting. Thanks for sharing the website.0 -
StealthHealth wrote: »I don't think an online calc or biometric scales are going to be very accurate at all.
Why do you need to know your %BF? Is it to use in determining your calorie intake or just "out of interest"?
Just out of interest
I see. Like I said, it's difficult to get an accurate % without spending the money on a DEXA/BW immersion test. But, if you're just interested you could hop on a bio-metric scale @ Pharmacy or gym and get figure. This figure will fluctuate based on hydration levels and will not be comparable to other people's measurements but, it is a figure.
But, having said that, the number on the print out (or indeed the weight on the scale) counts for little if you're shooting for a specific aesthetic.0 -
Well I did these online calculators and they are way off . I had a test done last night and was surprised at my results so she did it again and same results. The online calculators had my BF% at anywhere between 20 and 25%. It is actually 16.5%.0
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Joanna2012B wrote: »Well I did these online calculators and they are way off . I had a test done last night and was surprised at my results so she did it again and same results. The online calculators had my BF% at anywhere between 20 and 25%. It is actually 16.5%.
What kind of test tool was used?0 -
JeromeBarry1 wrote: »I recently had a hydrostatic test done. The result for me that day, 14.3% compared to the online photographs of various body fat % people, showed me that simply comparing me in the mirror to those photographs gave a good approximation. I looked like the 15% guy.
Those online photos really focus on the midsection though. For people who don't carry their weight proportionally, it's never going to be very accurate (although I guess it's more true for women than men).0 -
Joanna2012B wrote: »Well I did these online calculators and they are way off . I had a test done last night and was surprised at my results so she did it again and same results. The online calculators had my BF% at anywhere between 20 and 25%. It is actually 16.5%.
Yeah what method was used? That's competition levels of body fat for a woman, you would be ripped if it was that low.0 -
None1
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Joanna2012B wrote: »Well I did these online calculators and they are way off . I had a test done last night and was surprised at my results so she did it again and same results. The online calculators had my BF% at anywhere between 20 and 25%. It is actually 16.5%.
Not a chance you're 16.5%1 -
In my experience, the online photos with bf% gives you a pretty good estimate.0
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YEARS ago they used to have those scales at GNC where you could get all sorts of stats. You'd pay a couple of dollars and I think it printed them off too. Don't know how accurate they were tho.Do they still have them? Again that was probably 20+ years ago!0
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ijsantos2005 wrote: »In my experience, the online photos with bf% gives you a pretty good estimate.
based on what?0 -
Using the selfie camera on your computer or phone.1
This discussion has been closed.
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