Body Fat % Scale Question

perrybucsdad · January 2012

:explode:
Okay, I have an Health O Meter weight scale that has the ability to measure Water %, Body Fat % and a few other items. I noticed over the past few days that my Body fat % has swung up and down like crazy. Not just a few points but many. So this morning, I did an experiment while weighing myself. I took a reading three times and here are the results I received. Please note, the weight was the same on all three times, and I was bare footed, and weighing myself on a hard floor.

Result #1 : 34.2%
Result #2: 14.1%
Result #3: 23.6%

Now, the measurements were all taken within a minute of each other, and I didn't eat or drink anything between measurements. So why are these results so different?

I understand you should take the measurement at the same time of the day, and some say don't eat or drink anything before, and some say that you should. But if I take three back to back measurements, I should get results that are fairly close one would think.

Any help would be appreciated.

John

auroranflash · January 2012

Buy a new scale!

Or,

Buy a new scale, and only weigh once a week.

Fixed! Have a great weekend.

adlwilmot · January 2012

Answer: body fat scales are all RUBBISH - ignore the fact there is even a body fat calculation function on them. They're not accurate at all - none of them are.

surfrgrl1 · January 2012

I have the same brand of scale, mine is probably 7 years old, but it is still chugging along.

I don't know where my instruction manual is after all that time, but it seems like it recommended weighing mid day when you wanted to get the best body fat reading. I only weigh in the morning these days, and my body fat generally shows around the same thing, maybe .5% off at most. I believe what mine says, as I have tested the results with some other methods in the past.

Maybe you could check their website and see what they recommend for your particular scale.

MaximalLife · January 2012

Those devices are JUNK.
If you want a real way to track body fat, go here...
Body Fat
http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/diet.html

I have a similar scale, and it gives me readings so vast I'd be better off just throwing darts blindfolded at a bodyfat chart.

butchrogers · January 2012

I believe the only way to get a correct body fat % is to go to a professional. I have a scale that does the same thing to me. Big waste of money.

jonski1968 · January 2012

You`ve got to remember that almost all weighing scales with built in body fat monitors are based on info from the 1970`s. My weight according to these charts say i should be 11st 12lbs...They do not take into account bone structure/muscle mass etc...So don`t be put off by these things...Best way to check your body fat is by using fat callipers...Easy to use and accurate.

duharvalgt · January 2012

I’m going to explain how the majority of these devices work:

They use a technic called BIA that sends a little electric current through your body, due to the density of the fat the current will pass quicker through it. The trouble with these is that they can only measure fat against whole body density. So the amount of water you have consumed in one day can affect it greatly or if you have a large amount of carbohydrates is your muscles this will affect the reading as well.
The way to get the most accurate reading from these is: to weigh yourself in the morning when your water levels are low and to make sure you’re on the scales whilst you don't have any clothes on (as the fibres in clothes will affect the density reading.)

An alternative method is body fat callipers (you take measurements around the body then put them into a calculator to give you a rough estimation.)

perrybucsdad · January 2012

I understand. We bought the scale a few years back because it was a good deal and it would store up to four people on it. It has a Water %, Bone, and Fat %, but with how it calculates the fat %, I can only wonder.

I ordered a Accu-Measure caliper and should have it early next week. I'll take that and input it on the exrx.net site and see what it says. Will be interesting to see what these numbers report.

Maxima, if I visit the page you listed (which I have gone to before) it tells me that I'm 16.6% Fat... I'm happy with that number, but I wonder how correct it is. I guess there isn't a 100% perfect method of figuring this out (or maybe there is but cost prohibitive) but it would be interesting to find out. I would think the website you listed is more of a generalized idea...then again, I guess the 7 skin fold method is generalized too in some ways.

I just can't get over though how the BIA results are so different even in a mere few minutes. That's crazy.

John

yevasdottir · January 2012

Apart from the answers that you already have, I had thought - in my innocent little way - that the variations in scales' readings might well be due to variations in barometric/atmospheric pressure. Well, what do I know!? But I couldn't find any other explanation for having gained one and a half pounds while out running . . . no eating or drinking, just running and sweating. Weighing in naked before and after. Explain one and a half pounds gain??? The fairies? Dust having gathere on the scale while I was out? Scales are rubbish!

morrowsarah · January 2012

I have the same scale and I hate the thing. I can get on it 3 times in a row and get different weights, body fat %, water, everything. Drives me nuts. It also reads about 3 pounds heavier than my wii fit balance board. I'm ready for a new scale but I just got this on last fall.

perrybucsdad · January 2012

I've not had issues with different weights. I can get on and off all morning and it will say the same with regards to weight.

So, anyone have any recommendations on good scales for just weight?

Body Fat % Scale Question

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