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ELECTRONIC BATHROOM SCALE - BODY FAT ANALYZER
IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO KNOW
BEFORE USING YOUR BODY FAT SCALE
Before using the scale, you should know…
ABOUT BODY FAT
1. Why is it important to monitor percentage
body fat (%BF)?
The absolute weight traditionally determines whe-
ther or not a person is obese. Weight change in
itself does not indicate whether it was the weight of
body fat or muscle that had changed. In weight
management, it is desirable that muscle mass be
maintained while body fat is lost. Thus, monitoring
the percentage fat of the body is an important step
toward successful weight management and body
health.
The optimal %BF of an individual varies according
to age and gender.
The table that follows may be used as a guide:
Standard for Men
Source: University of Illinois Medical Center, Chicago, USA.
Standard for Women
Source: University of Illinois Medical Center, Chicago, USA.
2. How is percentage body fat (%BF)
estimated?
%BF is measured by a method called Bioelectrical
Impedance Analysis (BIA). The use of BIA to
estimate body fat has been pioneered since the
seventies. It was only in the past few years that the
estimation of body fat using BIA technology was
successfully offered to the consumers as a
compact bathroom scale.
With the BIA technology, a low intensity electrical
signal is sent through the body. The signal is very
low and causes no bodily harm. Depending on the
amount of body fat of the individual, the electrical
signal will flow with a different degree of difficulty.
The difficulty with which a signal flows through the
body is called electrical impedance. Hence,
by measuring the electrical impedance and
applying to the data a proprietary algorithm, %BF
can be estimated.
Please be reminded that the %BF estimated
with the scale represents only a good
approximation of your actual body fat. There
exist clinical methods of estimating body fat
that can be ordered by your physician.
ABOUT BODY WATER
3. Why is it important to monitor percentage
Total Body Water (%TBW) in the body?
Water is an essential component of the body and its
level is one of the health-indicators.
Water makes up approximately between 50-70% of
the body’s weight. It is present proportionally more
in lean tissue compared to fat tissue. Water is a
medium for biochemical reactions that regulate
body functions.
Rating Age
20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+
Low <13% <14% <16% <17% <18%
Optimal 14-20% 15-21% 17-23% 18-24% 19-25%
Moderate 21-23% 22-24% 24-26% 25-27% 26-28%
High >23% >24% >26% >27% >28%
Mesure Age
20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+
Low <19% <20% <21% <22% <23%
Optimal 20-28% 21-29% 22-30% 23-31% 24-32%
Moderate 29-31% 30-32% 31-33% 32-33% 33-35%
High >31% >32% >33% >34% >35%
