Body fat percentage rubbish?

colly10

I picked up a weighing scales last week. Paid €50 for the thing, I read that it can calculate body fat % and also muscle %.

Now I stepped up on the thing and I noticed that if I put myself in as a standard male it calculates that I have 14.5% bodyfat, but if I put myself in as a male athlete then it says I have 11.5%

I thought that bodyfat percentage was an exact science, it should send some electricity through me and give me an exact answer, not one dependent on how I define myself. Also I can tell by looking at the muscle % figure it gives me that it's off

Is there any machine that you can get an acurate % not based on anything but the electric pulses? Why do they even sell these stupid scales when the only thing they can read accurately is my weight. If all I wanted was an accurate weight reading I would have bought one for €5

PeakOutput

colly10 wrote: »

I picked up a weighing scales last week. Paid €50 for the thing, I read that it can calculate body fat % and also muscle %.

Now I stepped up on the thing and I noticed that if I put myself in as a standard male it calculates that I have 14.5% bodyfat, but if I put myself in as a male athlete then it says I have 11.5%

I thought that bodyfat percentage was an exact science, it should send some electricity through me and give me an exact answer, not one dependent on how I define myself. Also I can tell by looking at the muscle % figure it gives me that it's off

Is there any machine that you can get an acurate % not based on anything but the electric pulses? Why do they even sell these stupid scales when the only thing they can read accurately is my weight. If all I wanted was an accurate weight reading I would have bought one for €5

they sell them because people buy them without doing any research

you could probably bring it back and get a refund especially if you bought it from argos

iv bought a few things that techinically worked but just didnt do the job they were meant to do(cut your hair without raping you for example) and a minutes conversation at the counter gets your money back

colly10

PeakOutput wrote: »

they sell them because people buy them without doing any research

you could probably bring it back and get a refund especially if you bought it from argos

iv bought a few things that techinically worked but just didnt do the job they were meant to do(cut your hair without raping you for example) and a minutes conversation at the counter gets your money back

I picked it up from argos alright, think i'll bring it back. So does that mean BF% readings are basically ****e? Like if I used the machine in boots for example would that be accurate

J.S. Pill

I think I fell for the same scam aswell, bought it months ago and was too lazy to send it back - The fact that it got my weight wrong by half a stone didn't fill me with too much confidence about the BF reading.

colly10

J.S. Pill wrote: »

I think I fell for the same scam aswell, bought it months ago and was too lazy to send it back - The fact that it got my weight wrong by half a stone didn't fill me with too much confidence about the BF reading.

Don't know how it could get your weight wrong, sure thats the whole point of the thing. In saying that I noticed that im 2 kilo's heavier on the scales in training than I am on my own

J.S. Pill

I checked the scales at my gym and at my parents house, both were roughly the same so I'm just assuming the sh*ty argos one was wrong.

PeakOutput

i couldnt tell you about the accuracy of electronic body fat % machines but i know form reading here they dont get great reviews everyone seems to swear by a simple pair of calipers

EileenG

If you use the same settings all the time, and at the same time of day and with the same hydration levels, it will give you trends. It won't give you an accurate bodyfat reading. To get that, you need a seven point caliper test, done by someone experienced. Most people don't need that much accuracy, it's enough to know if the number begins with a 1 or a 2 for instance.

J.S. Pill

EileenG wrote: »

If you use the same settings all the time, and at the same time of day and with the same hydration levels, it will give you trends. It won't give you an accurate bodyfat reading. To get that, you need a seven point caliper test, done by someone experienced. Most people don't need that much accuracy, it's enough to know if the number begins with a 1 or a 2 for instance.

Yeah I think the most I can hope to get out of my sh*ty machine I paid 30 quid for would be to measure change over time as opposed to any absolute level.

pkeno

Those scales work on the bioelectrical resistance of your body and are not very accurate. A simple thing like hydration level can skew the results significantly.

If you are using one try to measure at the same time every day and don't eat for ~2hr beforehand.

An empty bladder is usually recommended too!

Roper

LOL they should bring back the ad "can you pinch more than an inch?"

Calipers are the only really reliable way to go. A scales about 3 months ago put me down as 19% or something. I mean I'd been injurred and all but 19%!!!*










*I love muffins.

rubadub

colly10 wrote: »

I thought that bodyfat percentage was an exact science, it should send some electricity through me and give me an exact answer

Measuring electrical resistance is an exact science, using that information to estimate your body fat is certainly not!

colly10 wrote: »

Like if I used the machine in boots for example would that be accurate

It might be a bit better at measuring electrical resistance but still a poor guide to estimating your body fat.

A calipers and/or mirror is your best bet.

jayoo

Ha, yes i have one as well, it is very dependent on how hydrated you are.
however they can work by giving you an indication on the direction you are going, as in if the % is constantly going up or down, the figure itself is wrong but the direction is correct, needs to be done roughly under same circumstances, like first thing in morning, or prehaps just before bed, as your body is usually in a conststant state at these times,

Ryaner

I have http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/8325969/Trail/searchtext%3EBODY+FAT.htm and it gives fairly accurate results. You have to program in age and height but since it measures body water, you can be sure the results match week to week once you do it at the same time.

Also of this and the older one I've had, the results have never been more than 2% off compared to skin fold tests.

The Davestator

These scales can be accurate once you keep a routine before testing. Maybe on a Monday am before eating. I've found it is fairly consistent that way. even if it not right, it will tell you something about which direction you are going.
They all work on BIA (bio-electrial impedence analysis) so you could get some info online about which one to get this time