A number of weeks ago I wrote an article on why you might want to consider owning a body fat monitor (Body Fat Scales) to assist your weight management efforts. I would like to purchase a bathroom weight scale for my husband and me that includes this feature. After spending quite a bit of time researching the possible choices, I learned a lot about what is available and what to look for when buying a unit.

Tanita body fat monitors seem to be one of the most accurate and popular of the available products. A company by the name of Omron also makes electronic scales that are rated fairly well. In addition, Omron offers some handheld body fat monitors but these do not seem to have the same degree of reliability or accuracy as the more traditional looking bathroom weight scales.

Electronic weight scales for home use now come with a number of additional features in addition to weight and body fat measurement. Some of these features include daily calorie estimation, metabolic age, body water percentage, muscle mass, and physique rating. However, the accuracy of these features is not clear.

Here’s what I think you should keep in mind when choosing a bathroom scale with a body fat monitor:

1. Accuracy and Consistency with body weight. Ideally your weight will be the same whether measured at home or at your doctor’s office. When I visited a number of online product review sites, I found many satisfied customers who purchased scales that meet this test. There are a number of scales that also seem to rate well for consistency. If you test a scale in a retail shop, each time you step on, then off and on again, you should get the same reading.

2. Multiple-User Memory. Most scales come with the ability to store personal data for a minimum of two users. Some provide data storage for four or more users plus a guest. This is great for families so each person can track his or her own measurements independently. Another feature to look for are buttons to change from one user to another with your big toe (”toe buttons”). These buttons eliminate the need to reach down to make a change.

3. Easy to Read Digital Display. The larger the window and size of the numbers on an analog display, the easier it may be to read. I understand that some electronic scales have a display window that is backlit for better viewing. A few may even have a speech function to report the weight.

4. Consistency with body-fat measurements matters most.. Although body fat measurements may not be accurate, consistency will work. Look for consistency in the results and direction of change if you either lose or gain body fat. (To learn more about how body fat monitors work and why consistency matters please read my previous post: Body Fat Scales)

5. Caution! Body fat monitors should not be used by anyone with a pacemaker or by pregnant women. The small electric current emitted to measure body fat could interfere with the functioning of pacemakers and may be harmful to pregnant women.

6. Additional Features. Some electronic scales may offer an option to provide results specifically for athletes. If you work out 10 or more hours a week or have a resting heart rate of 60 or less (Tanita scales) this may be important for you. Athletes tend to have a much higher ratio of muscle to body fat, which changes the way the values are calculated. Other interesting features, as mentioned earlier, include daily calorie estimation, metabolic age, body water percentage, muscle mass, and physique rating.

7. Electronic weight scales need batteries to operate. They will work with four AA or a lithium battery.

Tanita Body Fat Monitors

Tanita BF679W Duo Scale Plus Body Fat Monitor with Body Water

This scale offers a measurement mode for two adults and a guest. It monitors body fat and body water percentages in addition to weight. Changes in body water will have an effect on body fat measurement so this could be a valuable feature if it works. It also offers a unique feature for estimating daily calorie intake based on current weight level.

The Tanita BF679 is manufactured to work for anyone weighing up to 300 pounds and it is backed by a three-year warranty. Of the 91 reviews I found at one site, this monitor received an average rating of 4 out of 5. (Many negative reviews seemed to come from individuals who had not sufficiently read or understood the limitations of the product.) At Amazon.com the Tanita BF679 received 36 reviews with a rank of 4.3 out of 5 stars. Overall this unit seems to offer good value for the price.

Tanita BF680W Duo Scale Plus Body Fat Monitor with Athletic Mode and Body Water

This scale offers four different modes of measurement: adult, child, athlete, and guest. It also has a recall function to compare your current weight with the last weight and body fat percentage. (The guest mode does not store data in memory.)

This scale will work for anyone weighing up to 300 pounds. It has a 10 year parts and labor warranty. Of 27 reviews on one site it ranks 3.7 out of 5 stars.

Tanita BC554 Ironman Glass InnerScan Body Composition Monitor Elite Series

This body fat monitor and scale is one of the most comprehensive you'll find for home use at a reasonable price. It is more expensive than the others reviewed here but it may be a good choice for you if you work out more than 10 hours a week and you would like to have more complete feedback about your diet and fitness routines.

The unit provides measurements for metabolic age, muscle mass, healthy range, visceral fat, BMR, and physique rating in addition to body weight, body fat percentage, and body water. It will store user information for up to four individuals and can measure weight up to 330 pounds.

Of 97 reviews on Amazon.com, this product received 4.1 out of 5 stars.

Omron Body Fat Monitor and Scale

OMRON HBF-400 Fat Loss Monitor with Scale

The HBF-400 supports up to four personal profiles and can measure weights up to 330 pounds. The manufacturer claims this unit is designed to provide measurements for people of nearly all heights and ages (10 to 79). It also claims to customize measurements for males and females.

This Omron scale provides measurement for body weight, body fat percentage, and body mass index (BMI).

Average customer review is 4.0 out of 5 stars on Amazon.com.

In conclusion:

Each of the units reviewed here should provide you with an accurate body weight and consistent body fat measurement. Beyond that you will want to consider which features are relevant to your needs and which are not. Having more features does not necessarily make an electronic scale a better buy.

If you do buy a unit, remember to read the instructions carefully! The specifics of each monitor are important. (For example, weigh yourself with dry not wet feet.) If you want to have the most accurate and consistent results possible, you will need to adhere to the manufacturer's recommendations.

(To read more about how body fat scales/monitors work read: Body Fat Scales)

Have a great week, watch those calories, and remember to eat healthy foods!

Want to take off weight fast? I could tell you a dozen or more ways to do that but you wouldn’t be happy with the results! Why? Simply put, the weight you will have lost would be primarily water. On average the body of an adult woman is about 60% water. Body weight shifts from day to day with normal changes in water weight. In addition, there are times when your body may retain excess water or have too little water and be dehydrated. As a result of these shifts in body water the numbers on your bathroom weight scale can be misleading. Ideally what you want to track for healthy weight loss is body fat not total body weight.

The typical bathroom scale was not designed to give you any indication of body fat. However, it is body fat more often than not that tips the scales higher than we would like. It is body fat that gives us the unwanted flab! It is body fat that can accumulate around internal organs and put us at higher risk for disease. Unless your body is retaining water unnecessarily you don’t want to lose water weight and become dehydrated. Nor do you want to lose muscle tissue, important for tone and fitness, or other lean tissue such as bone or vital organs.

Unlike water, fat loss is difficult. How do you track fat loss? You could use a tape measure, photographs over a period of time, or simply assess how your clothes fit from week to week. However, none of these methods are ideal because they are not giving you enough feedback about fat loss. Body fat scales are a possible solution. These scales are designed to give you feedback not only with total weight but also percent body fat.

At one time, the “gold” standard for accurate measurement of body fat was hydrostatic underwater weighing. However, this measure is inconvenient and expensive. It is a valuable research tool but not practical for the average person. There are other high tech methods of measuring body fat but most are complicated, impractical, or expensive also.

Body weight scales look similar to traditional bathroom weight scales. They are user friendly and not too expensive. However, they require a little bit of simple programming before use.

To get a measure of your body fat you step on metal footpads with bare feet. The scale then measures the resistance that a tiny electric current encounters as it travels through one leg, across your pelvis, and then down through the other leg. Don’t worry. The current is so slight you’re not likely to feel it. The measurement taken compares lean mass in your body, such as muscle, to fat and then calculates percent body fat.

How does this work? Electric current will pass easily through water but not other body tissue. Fat tissue has less water than muscle and other body tissues. So body fat has more resistance.

Are the results accurate? In 2003 when Consumer Reports tested the relatively new body fat scales, even the best among them was accurate for only 80 percent of the volunteers being tested. Some of the scales underestimated body fat and others overestimated body fat. (There are no more recent evaluations of body weight scales that I have found.)

Similar body fat scales in research facilities are much more accurate. For one thing, resistance is measured in a way that takes into account the whole body and not just the bottom half. Consideration is also given to the level of body hydration, which can influence body fat measurements.

So how might you put a body weight scale to work for you? Look for a scale that will give you an accurate total body weight. Then choose one that is CONSISTENT with the measurement of body fat. Whether it underestimates or overestimates body fat isn’t terribly important. Why? Any fat loss is good. And given that fat loss is SLOW, if you see a gradual decrease in the percentage of body fat then you are clearly making progress.

Do remember to weigh yourself under the same conditions and at the same time of the day for the best results. But don’t get overly attached to the actual body fat percentage because it is not likely to be accurate.

There are many new features on body weight scales that I have not covered in this article. Because I am in the market to purchase a body fat scale, I will be doing more research and comparing products. I’ll let you know what I learn.

On Tuesday I will be traveling back home from Georgia and my visit with my mother. I’m looking forward to making some big changes on this website. I think you’ll like what I do! Till then, watch those calories and eat healthy!