In recent years, more and more individuals have been purchasing body fat scales, which can do more than regular bathroom weight scales. How is that? People are becoming more aware of the importance of the body fat percentage statistic. Research has shown that the bodies of some exhibit signs of obesity despite having a normal weight.

Termed normal weight obesity, this is a condition whereby people show a high body fat percentage in their body composition while at the same time having a normal weight. The concern is that these folks will face a much higher level risk for future heart problems compared to people with low percentages of fat in their body. So if our body fat levels are high, we definitely want to be informed about it and lower it over time. To improve on anything, the situation needs to be monitored and measured. One appliance that we can use is a body fat scale.

Basically, body fat scales determine the total body fat percentage in your body. This is done by letting a small and harmless current of electricity pass through the body. This particular electrical current can pass through the fat free tissues, like muscles, more than it can pass through fats or bones. On more technicalities, the body fat scales do not actually measure the total fat but your actual body density. What the scales do then to is to use a formula that can calculate the total fat percentage based from the density.

However, these formulas can just predict the total percentage, but wouldn’t actually give you the exact or the most accurate result. This is because differences in gender, age, body size, ethnicity, and fitness level are all contributing factors that are considered during the measurement. Experts advise us not to take the absolute body fat percentage measurement from a body fat scale as the absolute truth, but to use it as a guide. The measure of relative changes over time is probably more relevant and useful.

When you are just about to purchase a scale, you have to choose the ones that match your bodily profile. If you are an athlete, choose the ones that are specifically designed for athletes. If your children will be using the scales, make sure that the scales are calibrated for children’s use. Use the scales to monitor your changes only, and never use them to compare results with other people. Also, before you test yourself, measure some water and drink it one hour prior to the test. Always drink the same amount of water in the same way before every test. Also, do not use the scales after you have just exercised. Exercising makes you lose a significant amount of water, and this may affect the results.

Overall, the convenience and accessibility of a home body fat scale makes it easy to keep track of our body fat levels. By frequently measuring something, we become more aware of it and have more motivation to improve on it. Body fat scales can offer a practical way to do that. If you do buy one, do spend a few minutes reading through the instructions before you start using the scale. When used frequently and correctly, a body fat scale is certainly worth the money.

Author Bio: See bathroom scale ratings on the bestbathroomscales.net website. Learn about best body fat scales. Read reviews on Tanita digital scales.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: body fat scale, body fat scales, body fat percentage, body composition