'Analysing' scales

[Simpo Two]

Wandering through my local store today I saw some Weight Watchers scales that calculate bodyfat etc:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Weight-Watchers-Ultra-Gla...

I'd like to lose a little bit so my question is - do these things really calculate extra stuff? And if so, is the WW any good or would I be better to buy another make? Or is it just mumbo-jumbo designed to part fools from money?

All info greatly received!

[130R]

There is no way for a scale to know what percentage of mass is fat vs muscle/bone unless it has a built-in X-ray. BMI you can easily calculate, so I'd just stick with some normal scales

[Liokault]

I have a set.

A friend who used them got the same body fat % from my scales as he did within a week from a calliper check at a doctors.

I know it’s only a sample of one, but there you go.

[anonymous-user]

They use ‘bioelectrical impedance analysis’ to measure body composition

I.e it isn’t just a scale

The Nokia body plus is quite well regarded

https://health.nokia.com/uk/en/body-plus

[oceanview]

130R said:

There is no way for a scale to know what percentage of mass is fat vs muscle/bone unless it has a built-in X-ray. BMI you can easily calculate, so I'd just stick with some normal scales

BMI is a rubbish method- it cant tell what percentage of your weight is fat/muscle. It will quite often put you in the overweight/obese scale, if you have very little fat but workout a lot or are particularly athletic.

Having been into strength training and athletic fitness for years (HIIT type stuff) , I only just get into the "good" category( and that's only because I am small framed) although I have visable abs and a body fat percentage of around 11/12%.

[SlimJim16v]

The better ones can give a reasonably accurate body fat %. As said, BMI is crap.

[Bonefish Blues]

JPJPJP said:

They use ‘bioelectrical impedance analysis’ to measure body composition

I.e it isn’t just a scale

The Nokia body plus is quite well regarded

https://health.nokia.com/uk/en/body-plus

We got those as we have some other Withings devices - not much used tbh, and they don't feel as good quality as they look iyswim. I stick with my Tanita BC 543 which I've used for many years. It's interesting to see the history over time. You can game your bodyfat % a little according to how well you hydrate, but the consistency of the readings and their variation over time accords with my subjective observations of how fit I was, so I trust their accuracy.

[Simpo Two]

Thanks guys - as I need some decent scales anyway they are cheap enough and will do.

[ORD]

My own experience is that they are much less reliable than just a trained eye. I’ve seen even the expensive ones in gyms give ridiculous readings. A guy at my local gym got a score of 8.7% despite being, at best, at around 13%. Miles off.

My own experience is that they read me at about 15% when I am slightly podgy and 10% when I am a little bit leaner. The true variance is probably about 2% (12-14%). So miles off there.

Unless they are very accurate indeed, they are pointless. You can tell body fat levels and changes in them (for yourself at least) by looking in the mirror.

[Simpo Two]

As I'm not a health fanatic but would simply like a 32" waist rather than 34-35", a relative scale would be just as useful as an absolute one (I think).

[HotJambalaya]

I have the withings ones, now nokia, and as i lost weight the body fat % decreased. As it went up again (bugger!) it showed the increase too. Exact it may not be, but like all these things, a handy enough rough idea.

[Craikeybaby]

I also have the Withings/Nokia scales. I used to track my body fat % prior to getting them, but it was a case of logging everything manually, entering my weight into the body fat analyzer etc. Now I just stand on the scales and the data is sent to my iPhone.