The commonly seen hand held or scales are called segmental body fat analysers measures one half of the body and the equations used in these are yet to be validated. A slower traveling signal usually indicates a higher body fat percent.
How To Calculate Body Fat Percentage Accurately 7 Steps
How accurate are the handheld body fat calculators. Handheld fat measurement devices arent as accurate as other methods but theyre. According to the american college of sports medicine bia measures body fat with the same. Similarly a faster speed indicates less resistance and a lower body fat percent. As for accuracy a handheld bia device has about a 35 5 margin of error. Ive measured myself on the same day with two different ones and got answers over 5 apart from each other. To get the best results measure to the nearest 14 inch 05 cm.
Handheld body fat monitors measure body fat by a process called bioelectrical impedance analysis or bia. Since they are based on a two compartment model they suffer from all the problems associated with a two compartment model. Your body fat measurement can depend on many factors such as the devices quality and how hydrated you are when you have the measurement. Normal ranges for bmi accuracy of handheld machines. There are various ways to measure the percentage of body fat and some are more high tech than others. Also the readers can be thrown off by hydration and food levels skin perspiration breathing weird making funny faces and the wind.
Although the technology is improving its hard to get an accurate body fat measurement from most available commercial body fat analyzers. Various types of body fat analyzers also called impedance meters are available to the general public. In this article we describe the range of methods include those that a person can try at home. Use the metric units tab if you are more comfortable with the international system of units si. Also they tend to have about a 3 margin of error. Remember or learn these handheld readers only take into account the bodyfat in your thoracic cavity.
There are sensors on either side of the device that measure your body fat as you hold the device in front of you. The healthy range for body fat for women is between 19 and 32 percent. For men its from 16 to 25 percent. Results from portable body fat analyzers can vary though. You can purchase scales that use this type of technology as well as handheld devices that measure from hand to leg finger to finger hand to hand or leg to leg. The body fat calculator can be used to estimate your total body fat based on specific measurements.
That said if you use the same machine over time and it goes up then your bf probably is going up even if the exact number isnt right.
Gallery of How Accurate Are The Handheld Body Fat Calculators
