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NEWS 24 - 6 Comments
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I got my dad one of these for Christmas a couple years ago. He liked it, but I'm not convinced that its bodyfat readings were accurate - they seemed awfully high if I recall. Still, I guess as long as it's consistent, that's really all that matters.
I was thinking about this more, and reading the reviews, and I'm thinking that I might be able to make good use out of one as long as I use it on a regular schedule and make sure I'm hydrated roughly the same amount when I get the body fat reading. Let me know how it works for you, I might end up getting one too (or stealing my dad's if he's not using it).
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I too have heard that the accuracy of these scales is a bit dubious. As Bert points out though as long as the readings are constant it can give you a rough idea of any body fat loss.
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I've read a fair amount of literature on the Tanita scale in particular. Mens Health, did a test of 5 or 6 different scale of varying price range - and Tanita came out on top. They are actually used in hospitals for their renouned accuracy.
Just like any other scale, readings will fluctuate (both weight and body fat) throughout the day due to levels of water retention. I can step on a certified accurate scale in the morning and at night and have lost 2lbs easily. Did I really lose 2 lbs? No, it's all water loss. Which, incidentally, is what critics of the Zone diet claim accounts for the rapid initial weight loss when starting the Zone. At any rate, the body fat portion of the scale works by sending a harmless electical current through the body and measuring impedence. The amount of water stored in the body has a direct effect on this. The scale is really accurate if you take the measurement at the same time of day or several times a day and average the readings. One reviewer took a measurement 30 min prior to a water tank test (the most accurate method) and another 30 min after. Both readings on the scale were the same and they were only .5% off from the water tank. I had the caliper test don eand compared it to the Zone body fat calculator and I was a little fatter by caliper than Zone, by 1.2%. When I get the scale, I'll get another caliper test and see how it comes out.
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At first I thought my new scale may be erroneous, however, I've calculated my bodyfat through several methods and here are the results:
Zone calculator = 10%
Tanita scale = morning 11% , evening 10%
Various bodyfat calculators throughout the web = 10% - 12%
Caliper method 4 months ago = 14.6%
I didn't think the Tanita scale was right however I'm getting supporting evidence from various other means. I have lost a couple lbs in the last few months and definately packed on more muscle so I guess I probably am leaner than I thought.
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Nice. I figured you had to be leaner than you were saying, though I haven't seen you so who could say for sure. I definitely might pick one of these up. Did you find various readings based on hydration levels, like the reviews were saying?
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Yeah, in the morning when I wake up I'm less hydrated and it around 11% plus or minus 1 or 2 tenths of a percent. In the evening when I'm more hydrated it's around 10% plus or minus. Just like the instructions said it would be.
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