There are a variety of factors that can affect the accuracy of the body fat percentage on your smart scale. The accuracy of body fat scales has been shown to be significantly worse for people who are overweight or obese, routinely underestimating body fat percentage. This is actually similar to the validity of BMI in that it can correctly categorize many people but may not be a good indicator of health for those with a muscular build. Other research suggests that body fat scales can give a fairly good indication of body fat percentage for a population but not necessarily for certain individuals. All three body fat scales underestimate fat mass and body fat percentage these discrepancies were even greater for subjects who were overweight or obese. Ultimately, a tool is only useful if it’s accurate, so how accurate are body fat scales? Most studies show that smart scales and body fat scales aren’t particularly accurate.Ī study that compared the accuracy of body fat percentage measurements on three different body fat scales compared to a DEXA scan (an accurate medical imaging technique to measure body composition) found that the body fat scales were not accurate in assessing body fat. How accurate are body fat scales? Fittrack These body fat scales then combine the analyses of the segmented parts of your body to compile a total body fat percentage and then display your BMI on the scale. Some body fat scales also have a handle with additional metal electrodes that send another electrical current through your upper body. Body fat contains less water than muscle tissue, so it takes longer for the current to travel through fat. In general, the higher the bioelectrical impedance, or resistance to electrical current, the higher your body fat percentage. These algorithms combine the bioelectric impedance measure with other inputs such as your total body weight, height, sex, age, and potentially even your fitness level, depending on the quality of the body fat scale. The electrical current flows more easily through body tissues that contain more water (blood, muscle, urine) compared to drier tissue (fat and bone).īased on how quickly the electrical current passes through your body, the body fat scale then can predict the percentage of body fat. When you stand on a body fat scale, the soles of your feet contact electrodes that send a small, harmless electrical current up your legs. How do body fat scales work?īody fat scales use a method called bioelectrical impedance to measure your body fat percentage. The principle behind this kind of body fat calculator is that electrical current travels differently through body fat and lean tissue because the resistance of these tissues to electrical current is not the same. Hunnes says that body fat percentage is a better indication of health and disease risk than BMI, which does not consider your body composition.
“So a female who weighs 140 pounds will be carrying between 28–42 pounds of fat on body, and a male (whose healthy body fat percent range is around 11–20%) who weighs 180 pounds will be carrying 19–36 pounds of fat.”ĭr. Dana Ellis Hunnes, PhD, MPH, RD, who is a registered dietitian and the clinical director at UCLA Medical Center. “Most average individuals will have body fat percentages in a healthy range of between 20–30%, meaning of their total weight, 20–30% of that is fat mass,” explains Dr. Athletes who have a lot of muscle mass or a lean physique have a low body fat percentage and a higher relative proportion of lean bone mass (muscle, bone, nerves, organs, blood, etc.). It's used in combination with a variety of other factors (like BMI, weight and height) to determine what's a healthy weight or body fat percentage for you.What is body fat percentage, and why does it matter?īody fat percentage refers to the relative amount of your body weight that is composed of adipose tissue, or fat. Remember, body fat percentage is just one of many numerical values that speaks to your weight and overall health.For women, body fat percentages should fall: for athletes: 14 to 20%, for general fitness levels: 21 to 24%, for acceptable or average: 25 to 31% and anything over 32% is considered overweight or obese.For men, body fat percentages should fall: for athletes: 6 to 13%, for general fitness levels: 14 to 17%, for acceptable or average: 18 to 25% and anything above 26% is generally considered to be overweight or obese.This may help you determine if you need to lose weight, maintain weight or gain weight. Knowing your body fat percentage and where it falls within standard, healthy ranges can give you some insight into your overall health. Compare your results to healthy standards.
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