Body fat meters measure the percentage of a person’s body that is made up of fat using bioelectrical impedance analysis. They can indicate if changes in diet or exercise are recommended and are useful for tracking progress. However, discrepancies between meters are possible, and accuracy should be verified by comparing with a doctor’s office.
A body fat meter is a tool used to measure the percentage of a person’s body that is made up of fat. Clinical tools will provide accurate body fat readings, but they can be expensive. Cheaper body fat meters measure body fat using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), which involves the meter passing a small painless electrical current through the person’s body and then calculating the resistance. The person’s age, gender, height, and weight are considered and used to determine an estimate of the person’s percentage of body fat.
A body fat percentage meter measures the entire volume of water in a person’s body, with muscle containing more water than fat. The percentage of body fat is calculated from these measurements. Since each body fat meter works slightly differently, there may be discrepancies between the meters; patients may get slightly different readings with different meters, and inconsistencies are not unlikely. However, all body fat readings should be in the same general area. To verify the accuracy of your body fat meter, compare a meter reading to that of a doctor’s office.
A body fat meter can indicate if the person is leading a healthy lifestyle or if changes in diet or exercise are recommended. Fitness is about more than just weight control, and a good fitness program reduces body fat and increases muscle. Crash diets are never recommended because they deplete the muscles. It is important to know how much weight is muscle and how much is fat, which is where a body fat meter comes in handy.
Body fat meters are also useful for tracking a person’s progress when they are on a diet or exercise regimen. Testing body fat percentage regularly can keep a person on track for that goal weight. Most meters are small and portable, so they can be easily used at home or just as conveniently taken to a gym. They are easy to use and provide a reading in seconds. Most meters provide readings to one-tenth of a percent.
The first time a body fat meter is used, the person must enter information such as age, gender, height, and weight. This information is stored in the meter and is referenced when the percentage is calculated. The reading is usually displayed in LCD format, and some meters provide a picture of how body fat percentage relates to a person’s size and figure. Some types of meters even have separate storage settings for up to ten different people.
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