All About Body Fat Monitors

Get the most out of your exercise regime or workout

Your bathroom scale doesn't tell you all you need to know if you're trying to lose weight – your weight is less important than your body fat percentage and should be monitored with equal diligence. Determining your body fat percentage is a better way to improve your appearance, overall fitness, and general health while also tracking your diet and exercise program.

Body fat percentage monitors for the home

There are two primary ways to monitor your body fat at home: bioelectrical impedance analysis and body fat calipers. Calipers are trickier to use and often result in an inaccurate reading, while BIA devices are fairly simple to use and very accurate.

Calipers for measuring skinfold – With this method, the skin is pinched in various points, usually three, and measured. A formula is then used to determine your body fat percentage from those readings. Recently, electronic calipers have been developed that sense the correct pressure and automatically do the calculations for you while also storing the data for future use or multiple users.

BIA methods for monitoring body fat – These devices often resemble a hand held device or an actual bathroom scale. They work by sending a miniscule electrical charge through your hands or feet and using the data to determine your body fat percentage. They are also customized by allowing you to enter your gender and age. BIA monitors should not be used by those with a pacemaker or if you are dehydrated.

Commercial body fat monitors

Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, or DEXA, and hydrostatic weighing are the two most common methods. These are typically found in universities, colleges, or health clinics. They provide more accurate readings than home methods but are often more expensive.

DEXA – This is a whole body scan, along with two different x-ray doses, that is also often used to measure bone density. It measures overall body fat and indicates the specific areas it is concentrated. While being the most expensive method of determining body fat, it is also the most accurate.

Hydrostatic weighing – Hydrostatic weighing is simply a fancy term for underwater weighing. This method can be difficult to find someone to administer, but it is less expensive than DEXA while being nearly as accurate. Hydrostatic weighing is the most widely used test of body density and is the hallmark measure for other indirect measures.

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