Body Fat Scales

Just wondering if anyone out there has used one of those devices that looks like a scale but it's supposed to give you percent body fat? Are they reasonably accurate or are the standard calipers still the better way to go?

Thanks!

I have a Tanita scale and like it a lot. I think it is fairly accurate but can tell you more after Aug. 8th when I get my BF tests by calipers, then I can compare. It gives you different readings depending on how hydrated you are. In the morning, when I'm dehydrated (50% water), it'll be higher (25.5-26%), and in the mid-afternoon, my weight will be up a pound but my BF will be lower because my water % is higher (52% water) - BF closer to 23-24%. I like to keep track of my morning weight, and my afternoon body fat. LOL...

This time last year, my BF was 30% by the caliper method. I expect it is lower now and when I get it done on Aug 8th, I'll have a good idea how close the scale is.

I use one and love it, but I don't really care how accurate it is. I've read that nothing beats calipers for accurate testing, but my logic is that the scale can show me a trend as to whether I am increasing or decreasing, and that's all I really need to know.

Of course, you can do something like KG is doing and kind of calibrate the scale - compare your readings on the scale to calipers. Do that again later, etc.

Hugs and butterflies,

~T~

I've had the Tanita scale for about 6 years. I think it's fairly accurate. In the AM, when I weigh myself, body fat is a bit higher than later in the day. My weight is at its lowest. Although I rarely myself later in the day, my body fat is always lower; usually it will go from 18% to 16%. Sometimes, after a ride the body fat percentage goes way down, like to 13%! I doubt it's really that low. My weight might be a little bit different, but generally goes up 1-2 lbs. by the end of the day. Since this pattern is consistent, I think it's accurate.

I have a Tanita at my house in CA and it has a really narrow window of giving you a 'real' number. I had a study that I used for a paper for a college class that I will try and dig up that compared the scales, calipers and the displacement method. If it's used 'right' it's pretty accurate, but even if it isn't, it gives you the same number whether its 'right' or not, and you can watch the numbers go down (or up :mad:). The stipulation is that you shouldn't use it immediately upon waking, after exercise, after eating or drinking, with a full bladder or after showering/being excessively wet. These all impact the fluid balance in your body and in turn, affect (or is it effect?) the impedence of the tiny electrical current (very tiny) that is sent through one foot and then exited through the other. But if you use it the same time every day, you can get a good gage on whether you are losing bf or gaining bf-that's how I used it anyway.

I switched to a caliper you can use on yourself (because I started traveling alot). I found it to be very accurate to the displacement method which I had done a couple of times. The gold standard (which hardly anyone does) is an xray method which is hardly used, I always see it in studies and never have heard anyone say "oh I got an appointment to get my % bf measured by xray" :)

Here is a link to the caliper:

http://www.amazon.com/FatTrack-GOLD-...6732234&sr=8-8

I like the measuring tape that comes with it too.

I've read before (might have been here on TE) that the scales tend to be lower body biased (if you have more fat on your lower body, it will be higher than your "whole body" average) and the calipers upper body biased (if you have more fat on your upper body, it will be higher than your "whole body" average), while displacement is more generalized. Some of the scales (more $$) are apparently more accurate, all things considered.

I do mine occasionally, maybe once a month, while I generally weigh myself once a week (if I'm in an "I care" phase, anyway, I had a long "I don't care" phase ;)). It just happened to be a feature of the scale we bought, maybe a combination of calipers/scale would be better (if the scale is fairly accurate, anyway, which is still up for debate :p).