Are these electronic (current-based) body fat percentage measurers reliable?

**Luke** · 06-30-2002, 10:42 PM

Hey bros...
I just found out this item:
http://www.egeneralmedical.com/noname30.html

I don't understand how body fat percentage can accurately be measurted by running current through ones hands...
I always thought that calipers or water weighting were the best.

Has anyone used one of those??? Are they reliable?

THX

**Lush** · 06-30-2002, 10:51 PM

I've got a tanita floor scale bf% monitor. it's bull shit. Not even close to being accurate.

use the calipers method or better yet just use the mirror.

little bastartd was over $200 too.

**swampthing** · 07-01-2002, 12:00 AM

This is a real simplified version. Basically the current rides through the water in your body. The more lean body weight you have the more water you have and the quicker the current makes it through. Fat will slow the current down.

It is not the most reliable method. I still feel that skinfold measurements with calipers are the way to go. The only thing is you have to find someone who knows what they are doing. And most do not.

**Prot** · 07-01-2002, 05:34 PM

They are complete bunk.....They have another model if you are "athletic"..So how do two scales measure you differently if they are acccurate?

**tt333** · 07-01-2002, 05:43 PM

They suck, My bodyfat is 18% then I went to measure it, it was 20% then I measured it again and it went up to 22% then again at 23%. Waste of money.

**skiboy** · 07-01-2002, 07:39 PM

the electronic ones vary if, you just ate, worked out, or took a shiat, so thats basically always, water testing is the best then calipers
peace

***the original jason*** · 07-02-2002, 02:36 AM

I've got a tanita floor scale bf% monitor. it's bull shit. Not even close to being accurate.

use the calipers method or better yet just use the mirror.

little bastartd was over $200 too.

same here i got some 150$ piece of junk so innacurate

peace

**3Vandoo** · 07-03-2002, 12:04 PM

Mine showed up at 101%

lol go figure

they are shitty and expensive

**BIG_GUNS_21** · 07-03-2002, 08:26 PM

Big fatty...lol

Originally posted by 3Vandoo
Mine showed up at 101%

lol go figure

they are shitty and expensive

**Equiguns** · 07-04-2002, 02:18 AM

Hey, I thought I might save you guys with a really good body fat moniter which is CHEAP. My girlfriend got it for me as some sort of company promotion. It is made by Omron, called the Body fat analyzer HBF-301. It costs about 60-90 dollars if I remember correctly, you might want to check where you can get one? I know you can get one from a high-tech store but I don't remember which one. I had my fat tested at Gold's Gym here by my trainer who knows what he is doing. His fat tests are accurate to + and - less than 1 percent. Then I used this electronic moniter and it gives me a reading always ONE HALF percent + or - from the caliper tests that my trainer gives me. Good investment. I would say it is good to + or - (1) percent of your body fat levels all the time. It is uses "age" "height- to the quarter of an inch" "sex" "body weight- to the half or a pound" and some sensors for your hands to measure the body fat. Just thought I would let you guys know.

**POWERSTROKE** · 07-24-2002, 09:12 AM

I agree that they are not accurate in terms of giving you a correct body fat reading, But with mine, it said I was 28% when I started and according to the calipers I was 15%. Now I am 12% on the calipers and my scale says I am 25%. So even though its not the right number, it let me know I was going in the right direction and it is consistent.

**RobNAUTICA** · 07-24-2002, 11:06 AM

those things kept me chunky for a long time hahaha, i was 26% and it kept sayin i was 18% so i kept eatin like a fat kid on halloween! got caliper and said "sheit"

**Fast Twitch Fiber** · 07-24-2002, 01:10 PM

I use the Bod Pod. It's the same principle as underwater weighing only it uses air instead of water. It's supposed to be the best current method. I'm about 15% in the Pod while the Tanita scales list me at anywhere from 17-21% depending on verying hydration levels.

**chicamahomico** · 07-24-2002, 02:31 PM

I see the frustration about electrostatic BF measuring. Look, you have to take the reading every day at about the same time and AFTER peeing. Also being buck naked helps. Then tally up the readings taken over a period of time, say 3 months. Then you need to break that down into weekly BF readings. Now you should have 12 weeks worth of BF readings. You now have a better perspective of where you really stand, and what progress( if any ?) you've made.

It's important to understand with any measuring tool that is so sensitive to a fluctuating variable like water retention, you must increase the number of readings taken and increase the time period over which you take these readings. ie Taking your BF once a day for 90 days will give you a picture of your BF level, doing it once a day for a year will give you a BETTER picture.

Oh yes, I do feel the need to mention that AS will fuck with the readings on these things, because of the whole water retention thing.

If you simply hop on the thing when you feel like finding out your BF level, you may as well throw the scale away!

Cheers.

**latman49** · 07-24-2002, 03:20 PM

I have a Tanita scale as well, it isn't accurate but it doesn't vary. It gives me a consistant measurement but it is usually 4% off of the calipers. It gives me a good guide to how I should fine tune my diet.

**chicamahomico** · 08-10-2002, 07:02 PM

I have a Tanita scale as well, it isn't accurate but it doesn't vary. It gives me a consistant measurement but it is usually 4% off of the calipers. It gives me a good guide to how I should fine tune my diet.

Next time you have sweet FA to do and you want to see how water and electrolyte levels affect a measurement device that works on impedence ( the Tanita scale ). Hop on the Tanita get your BF%. Drink 4 litres, a gallon for you non-metric types, of water or gatorade without urinating then hop on the scale. The more you weigh the less difference you will see. I weigh about 180 and I can 'drop' ( more water means less impedence and lower BF on a Tanita ) my BF% by 2-3%.

**BIG_GUNS_21** · 08-11-2002, 12:22 AM

I think they are more to give you a fast ROUGH idea of where you are...and if you use it right you SHOULD beable to get within 3%-4% not something for comp prep but I like to beable to check mine fast and get an idea.