How accurate would you say those body fat scales are?

[fiction agent]

Um to answer about 17% being good...

15% body fat on a man is good in the sense that he looks "thin." But since so many Americans are fat, at 17% you probably look in better shape than most people you meet.

If you're talking about health, the fact that you care enough about your health to make a change already suggests you are healthier than most people.

But if you want to look impressive in the sense of being "a big muscular guy," 10% is a good body fat percentage to have. That's where the average Joe becomes very impressed.

The sad thing is you can have the biggest arms and legs in the world, but without some ab definition, people will just think of you as a "large" man. For a while I was 6'4" 260, 20% body fat, was going to the gym on the regular and people never thought I lifted weights; just that I ate like an ox.

 

[jenscats5]

Just no way it's off that much...I promise you mine is pretty close...I was 8% and change using the ultrasound/hydro method, 9.8% with calipers and right around 12% on the scale.....within 3 days........

We've had this discussion before and I'm telling you that the day of my show I weighed 116 and it gave me +20% bf & there's NO WAY I was over 20% bf with a six pack....

You can use it as a tracking device but I wouldn't rely on the bf % it's giving as being anything close to accurate....

 

[cityhick]

Lmao I bought one nd just use it for a scale. Everyday I checked it for awhile and its diffrent every time I measure. On mon it say 25%...Tues 18%....Wen...23%. Calipers are more consistant although not precise.

 

[alex2678]

The Tanita scale was WAY off for me as well. Mine came out to 23% bodyfat with abs. This was barefoot with feet right on the grey strips just as they said. Disappointing scale overall.

 

[immortalis]

good thread... I was actually going to buy one of these today. But after reading this thread... I dunno if I should.

The hand-held one at my gym seems fairly accurate to me. So I made the assumption that any good scale at a fitness store that claimed to measure bodyfat would be close to accurate as well.

Ive always been very lean. I played Division 1 football in college and my bodyfat at my lowest was 4.8%. When I began the cycle I currently am on 4 months ago, the hand-held in the gym said I was 6.8% I would guess that would be fairly close. I have no fat anywhere on my body except for my lower abs and love handle area.

After 4 months and doing my current cycle I have gained 26 pounds and the hand-held now says that I am at 10.2% *shrug*. Those are close to what I would guess I was.


I dont know any common brandnames or vendors for high-end scales. Are there any that are rated higher than others that are regarded as being fairly accurate?

 

[jenscats5]

Oh I also read in the small print in my info book that came with my Tanita scale (mine is the stand on version) is that the ones you stand on ONLY measure bf from the waist down while the hand held ones ONLY measure upper body body fat.....

 

[wlmcrae]

I have to 'weigh' in with Jens on this one. My scale has shown me constant at 27%BF & about 135lbs since the beginning of January. HOWEVER, calipers at the beginning of January and the middle of March showed a 6% drop in BF and an increase in lean mass. This was a good thing, since I was about to pack it in - but, no, I don't trust the Tanita at all.

 

[*Bunny*]

We've had this discussion before and I'm telling you that the day of my show I weighed 116 and it gave me +20% bf & there's NO WAY I was over 20% bf with a six pack....

You can use it as a tracking device but I wouldn't rely on the bf % it's giving as being anything close to accurate....

In the past, the large 'pricey' one at the gym said I was 25 or something like that ... my corresponding caliper pinch was 11-12 ... with ab/arm veins etc. ... the morning of, my home Tanita Said 30 ...

If you're using this scale as another method to track your progress, or another 'data' point that's fine. I personally would not take it is as an accurate 'overall bf' measurement.

 

[harbinator]

I guess Im the exact opposite of everyone here I think my Tanita guesses a bit low. At the gym with calipers Ive been around 19-20% my tanita has shown anywhere from 11-18% depending on water intake but still never once has it shown as high as the calipers at the gym.

 

[immortalis]

Well I got a Tanita for $50 just a bit ago. There was 3 models... no way I was droppin $100 on one, so I got the middle one. I bring it in, and it has me at 17% so it is definitely a bit too high.

As for the post saying that it only measures below the waste for the stand-up models... thats wild because I have NO fat on my legs anywhere. All of mine is in my lower abs and love handle area. Im lean as can be everywhere else.

After I finish bulking in the next month or so, I have made it my mission to get back down below 6% and to have the most ripped abs I can possibly have. I so freakin jacked already about it heh. I guess this can still be used as a reference point to track progress... but damn, its fairly expense to be a "scale" with just a point of reference.

Oh well...