Bodyfat

Teufel · Bodyfat

I wanted to comment on the various methods available for tracking body fat.

One of the most reliable is water displacement, where you are dunked into a tank of water using special apparatus. It is very expensive and often found only at universities and hospitals. I don't know about you, but I'm not that interested in paying a couple thou just to know my bodyfat percentage down to the nth degree. Laugh

Calipers are the next most reliable method, but the readings can vary wildly depending on the skill of the wielder. If you decide to use this method, you should try to have the same person take the measurements each time, so you will get a truer reading.

The electrical impedance method, like the Tanita scale that I use, are the least accurate. The readings can be thrown off by fluid retention, dehydration, and even sweat on the bottom of the feet. You have to take a reading at the same time each day, the same way, i.e. after your shower, or with dry feet, etc, to get the most accurate reading. They are best used as a way of tracking loss of body fat long term, and not for casual readings.

In addition, most of the scales that ask for your age factor in a certain percetage of body fat based on age, too. So an extremely fit person at age 40 may still show a higher reading than a 20 year old because the scale adds a certain percentage to accoutn for fat accumulated around the organs as one ages.

So if you are using or decide to use one of these scales, make sure to get a quality scale (like the Tanita) and remember to obtain readings the same way each time to track your progress more accurately.

What I've written here is my own explanation of these methods, from memory based on what I've read and actual classroom lecture and practice. For more specific info, I've included the following link:

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0675/is_n5_v14/ai_18700379

Happy tracking!

If you're interested in knowing your bodyfat percentage at all, that is! Cool

Dean

Teufel,

Thanks for posting this.

I have used a Tanita scale for the last four years, and they work great... as long as one uses them as you have described. Many people say "well, that is not accurate". And I must, in return, think... "but, you've missed the whole point!" Who cares how accurate the measuring device is, as long as it is consistent. And I have found this scale to be just that. I can track my progress... and that is all I want to do. Check out page 4 of my Journal and you will see a chart that comes from weekly measuring... plugged into a spreadsheet... and the chart that's produced accurately reflects what was actually going on with my eating and exercising habits. The trend is all I care about. Even if water weight is "throwing things off"... excess water is still undesirable to have. Without this measuring device, I would not be able to see what was working, and what was not. And, that is all that matters, IMO... being able to tweak one's WOE and WOL.

Free

I have used all of the methods over the years, and have had several scales, and gizmo's that use the bio-electric impedance method. I have never found them to be very accurate at all. Also, you must make sure that you use them at the same time of day, and with the same level of hydration to measure any consistency.

I have also used calipers, and have been dunked a few times, but the method I find the most accurate is the Dexa-scan. I usually get scanned once a year, and there is even less chance of error, with this method, than dunking, because it doesn't rely on whether or not you get all the air out of your lungs.

I usually pay around $200-300 for a Dexascan.

Viking Dan

Even calipers can be thrown off by bloating I think. The electric impedence device I have seems to be much more sensetive to that though.