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body fat scales
- Thread starter neuby34
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Mr.X
Guest
neuby34 said:
Mostly not very accurate, remember they don't take into account subdermal water retention and thing alike. The only real test is the water tub test, where your bodyfat is measured on the weight/water volume ratio.
Mr.X
DanielBishop
New member
Mr X....
When I was studying Human Movement at university (sport and exercise science), we were taught that there's no accurate way to measure bodyfat as a percentage. The professors explained that to find a percentage, you need to take the data and put it into some sort of formula or equation.... and he said there's several HUNDRED mathematical formulae used by sporting institutions all over the world. And depending on which one you decide to use, will make all the difference to your bodyfat %.
For example, they took skinfold, height, weight and girth measurements from a subject and applied the data to several formulae.... and the results ranged from 16% bodyfat, to -3% bodyfat.... needless to say, having negative bodyfat is completely ridiculous but that formula is still used by a pretty respected sporting institution in Spain.
There's simply too many variables, which must be taken into account. Fat density, skin density, elasticity and thickness, muscle and bone size and density, subcetaneous water etc etc.... And therefore, the margin of human error is quite large. One millimetre difference with the calipers can make a difference of a few percent bodyfat. The professor told us that if we're overweight, just pick a certain system to use and we'll get our bodyfat below 10% instantly!!
He also explained why the underwater method is inaccurate as well.... although I can't remember why.
He said the best way to really measure, is not to try and find a percentage.... but to use the sum of 8 skinfolds.
Of course, I studied this back in 1999.... and technology progresses very fast. So, what methods are used nowadays? Which, if any, are accurate?
When I was studying Human Movement at university (sport and exercise science), we were taught that there's no accurate way to measure bodyfat as a percentage. The professors explained that to find a percentage, you need to take the data and put it into some sort of formula or equation.... and he said there's several HUNDRED mathematical formulae used by sporting institutions all over the world. And depending on which one you decide to use, will make all the difference to your bodyfat %.
For example, they took skinfold, height, weight and girth measurements from a subject and applied the data to several formulae.... and the results ranged from 16% bodyfat, to -3% bodyfat.... needless to say, having negative bodyfat is completely ridiculous but that formula is still used by a pretty respected sporting institution in Spain.
There's simply too many variables, which must be taken into account. Fat density, skin density, elasticity and thickness, muscle and bone size and density, subcetaneous water etc etc.... And therefore, the margin of human error is quite large. One millimetre difference with the calipers can make a difference of a few percent bodyfat. The professor told us that if we're overweight, just pick a certain system to use and we'll get our bodyfat below 10% instantly!!
He also explained why the underwater method is inaccurate as well.... although I can't remember why.
He said the best way to really measure, is not to try and find a percentage.... but to use the sum of 8 skinfolds.
Of course, I studied this back in 1999.... and technology progresses very fast. So, what methods are used nowadays? Which, if any, are accurate?
Vixi
New member
I bought an expensive Tanita bf scale and it says something different every time I get on it no matter what time of day or night. The variation can be from 1-6%. Too expensive for a glorified bathroom scale. Get a $10 one from Walmart. I still need to get some calipers since that seems to be the closest to somewhat accurate according to lots of people 'round these parts.
