Another BF fat % question

[Wahine]

I will do my measurements and check what the clac says but in the meantime...

Those scales and girth measurements are not that accurate. If you really want to know what your BF% is you have to go for a hydrostatic weighing. It is really the only accurate method. So I wouldn't assume that those fancy scales are giving the right measurements.

[kelownagirl]

Yeah, that's what I figure. I thought maybe someone who has done an accurate analysis could tell me if this online calculator was anywhere near accurate.

[Tuckervill]

I stood on one of those scales at the gym this morning (my gym is a physical therapy place, so it has a good scale). It said my BF was 41.9% (down 1 point, yay!) The calculator puts me at 42%....so I don't know what that tells you.

I need to find out where I can get dunked around here. I know my BF is too high, but it would be nice to have a baseline to start at.

Karen

[GLC1968]

Interesting. I happen to know what my approximate lean body mass is, so I can estimate my body fat based on my fluctuating weight pretty accurately.

Right now, my BF is about 30% and that calculator was spot on.

Just out of curiosity, I keyed in my measurements from when I had a 19% body fat (measured in multiple ways) and it said it would have been 23%.

I think it's probably less accurate (or more sensitive to body shape differences) when your body fat is lower. When I was 19%, my upper body was somewhat emaciated, but my lower body still held visible fat. That calculator can't tell that with no chest, back or arm measurements (my neck measurement has never changed). Someone who was more apple shapped than me might see a lower than accurate number (small hips). Yep, just keyed in DH's numbers from when he was at 6% BF (body builder) and it said he was 3%.

In general, it's probably a fairly decent gauge if you aren't already quite lean.

[VeloVT]

I will do my measurements and check what the clac says but in the meantime...

Those scales and girth measurements are not that accurate. If you really want to know what your BF% is you have to go for a hydrostatic weighing. It is really the only accurate method. So I wouldn't assume that those fancy scales are giving the right measurements.

Are caliper tests a decent alternative, if one doesn't have access to hydrostatic weighing?

[kelownagirl]

I had the caliper test dopne. It's supposed to be fairly reasonable. The part I didn't like was being weighed during the day with my clothes on.

[OakLeaf]

Isn't the caliper test really dependent on the skill of the person who's doing the measuring?

[GLC1968]

Isn't the caliper test really dependent on the skill of the person who's doing the measuring?

Yes!

[lph]

I don't know my body fat %, but I think that link underestimated mine. I have narrow hips, though, maybe that threw it off.

[roadie gal]

From what I've read, the hydrostatic method is the most accurate, followed by callipers. The body fat scales can be all over the board and are considered the least accurate.

I think these measurements should be thought of as points on a line rather than an absolute number. If you're trying to lose (or gain) weight you want to see a trend in the numbers rather than focusing on what the number is right now.