Does anybody know how accurate they are? I'm wondering because I took one (at a GMC store) and accepted the answer, but some people tell me the number it gave me is probably wrong. Is anyone here familiar with how they work and how accurate they are? I'm asking out of pure curiosity. :good
Waste of time and money. From what I understand the device sends a small electric current through the body and the received output on the other end determines body fat levels. Readings can be altered by many factors including hydration, alcohol, food in the stomach etc etc. It's very unreliable and inaccurate. The one I used to use had a disclaimer of 5-10% off. Obviously that's hugely inaccurate when it comes to body fat levels. You may as well just look in the mirror and guess with those kind of readings.
:good Thanks for the answer. Do you think the best way to have the body fat % measured is by a trained person that actually knows how to calculate it or are there other equipments that are accurate?
Calipers are probably the easiest way (in terms of getting tested) but if you go in that direction make sure you find someone with plenty of experience with this method, inexperienced practitioners can get very inaccurate measurements. There are other methods which I believe can be fairly expensive.
Thanks again. I wont really go out of my way to measure my bodyfat %. If ever I get a chance to do so I guess I'll just give it another shot.
The most accurate is the Whole Body Submersion where you are placed in a sling and put in a large container of water. Your weight in the sling while submerged is measured and compared to what you weigh beforehand. There is a formula to figure your body fat percentage from there.
I took a test at gnc on the machine at the mall, it said I had like 37% body fat lmao. Thats like morbidly obese, I may not be 6% but im sure as hell not 37% lol
Body callipers have a 5% margin of error as well, even the most well trained practitioner is going to get different readings for the same person every time. If it's a hot day it also affects readings due to the skin elasticity. The only reliable ways are hydrostatic and DEXA. Callipers over those scales any day though.
Just out of curiosity, why do you want to know your body fat percentage? Imo, it dosen't really matter. Most readings that you will get will be inaccurate, and will just give you a ball park figure. You could easily have got the same figure, by looking in the mirror and estimating, and that way is sure a hell of a lot cheaper. If you want to know for aesthetic purposes, then i would just go by the mirror because it dosen't really matter if your 6%, or whatever if you don't like what you see in the mirror.
Well, it's mostly just curiosity. When I took the test at GNC I did it because all my friends were doing it and comparing results. Last week I was training in USCG Air Station Mobile Alabama and the body fat % topic came about with my "shipmates". I spoke of the time that I actually had it measured at a GNC store and they were saying that the reading was probably wrong. I got back and decided to ask here.
