The higher concentration of body fat levels can cause several life-threatening diseases, like diabetes, heart failure, hypertension, different types of cancers, etc. It behooves upon us to track down the fat level in our body to maintain balanced health. In this article, we will discuss the basic ideas of a body fat scale or weight scale.
What is a Body Fat Scale or Smart Scale?
The term ‘Body fat %’ refers to the amount of fat currently stored in your body compared with the other body components. And, the ‘Body Fat Scale’ is a wireless machine that measures the amount of fat stored inside your body and displays it in percentages. This gadget is also called a smart scale, weight scale, or bathroom scale.
Besides calculating the fat ratio, modern body fat scales can measure a range of key health indicators like hydration, body weight, body mass, muscle mass, etc.
Nowadays, reputed brands create precise health apps with their body fat scales. This kind of app allows you to see your real-time health matrices on your Smartphone within a few moments. You need to turn on the Bluetooth/ Wi-Fi of your phone. Then the bathroom scale would sync the data to your smartphone via the app.
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How Does a Bathroom Scale Work?
Most of the advanced-level Body fat scales available on the market are equipped with bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) technology to measure body fat. Now how does it work? It’s quite simple. First, place the body fat scale on a leveled surface. Then Step on the platform barefoot.
The sensors – hidden inside a smart scale – would send an unnoticeably small amount of electrical current toward one foot. It will pass through one leg, travel through the body, and then pass down through another leg.
You might know that the ‘Fat’ as a substance, is a poor conductor of electrical current in comparison with the other components of your body such as blood, tissue, muscle, or bone. Now, the fat scale measures the fat ratio by calculating the resistance experienced by its sent electric signal while it travels inside your body.
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What Factors to Consider for Choosing a Weight Scale?
It is essential to consider several factors to pick a standard bathroom scale. Have a look at the following queries you need to ask before you buy a body fat scale for money
Does it Provide Accurate Measurements?
Nowadays many companies tout their exclusive body fat scales that can calculate a range of health matrices. However, no matter how many matrices a scale does measure, all of these can go in vain, if the results are not accurate. Therefore, we should check out the level of accuracy of the smart scale, when it measures the body weight indicator.
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Does It Comply with the Latest Technology?
Technology is changing every day. The latest body scales are equipped with many upgraded technological mechanisms like BIA (bioelectrical impedance analysis) to measure the health matrices. Many advanced-level scales can display those real-time health indicators on the Smartphone via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
Some smart body fat scales show the data in trends that help the users track their progress in maintaining good health. Therefore, it is essential to check out whether your chosen body fat scale includes advanced features.
Which Health Indicators Does it Offer?
Body fat percentage is a primary level health matrix. In addition to that, modern body fat scales can measure a handful of essential health indicators, including body weight, water %, bone mass, BMR, muscle mass, visceral fat, BMI, etc. So, it is wise to choose a reliable body fat scale that provides an accurate measurement of the key health indicators.
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Cautions of Body Fat Scale
A body fat scale is not recommended for women with pregnancy. It is also not recommended for people using medical electronic transplants like a pacemaker or any similar kind of device.
Many body fat scales don’t show results for children under 18 years old. And some scales can’t show accurate results for people over 80 years old.
Besides these, there are some cautions about using a bathroom scale, like placing the scale on a plain surface, stepping on the scale barefoot, placing the feet properly on the platform of the scale, etc.
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