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xXLSUXx 
New Orleans Saints Fan
New Orleans, LA
Member since Oct 2010
6580 posts
 Online
| Are body fat monitors accurate? (Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:41 pm)
Ones that use bioelectrical impedance, (whether hand held or standing scale) are they useful for measuring accurate body fat %? Are there any you would recommend?
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I Love Bama 
Alabama Fan
Alabama
Member since Nov 2007
27159 posts
| re: Are body fat monitors accurate? (Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:41 pm to xXLSUXx)
no...use a caliper or get in one of those under water thingamabobers
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Captain Ron 
Hawaii Fan
Location: Ted's
Member since Dec 2012
1691 posts
| re: Are body fat monitors accurate? (Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:44 pm to xXLSUXx)
quote:
Are body fat monitors accurate?
Probably +/- 1.5%
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13SaintTiger
New Orleans Saints Fan
Member since Aug 1904
Member since Sep 2011
2410 posts
| re: Are body fat monitors accurate? (Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:44 pm to xXLSUXx)
Handheld ones are complete shit, the scale has a 5% +/- error if you follow the guidlines before getting it done, and the skin fold has a 3% +/- human error but is the most accurate of the most affordable.
ETA: The handheld only monitors the upper body water absorbance, the scale monitors your whole body. Whatever you use, you want consistency.
This post was edited on 1/28 at 4:47 pm
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13SaintTiger
New Orleans Saints Fan
Member since Aug 1904
Member since Sep 2011
2410 posts
| re: Are body fat monitors accurate? (Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:45 pm to Captain Ron)
quote:
Probably +/- 1.5%
No.
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Kickadawgitfeelsgood
Lafayette LA
Member since Nov 2005
7227 posts
| re: Are body fat monitors accurate? (Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:45 pm to xXLSUXx)
Shocking results?
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Captain Ron
Hawaii Fan
Location: Ted's
Member since Dec 2012
1691 posts
| re: Are body fat monitors accurate? (Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:46 pm to 13SaintTiger)
quote:
No.
Worst case is it gives you a baseline for bf%.
If the number is going down week to week, it's a good thing.
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GeauxWarTigers 
LSU Fan
Auburn
Member since Oct 2010
13273 posts
| re: Are body fat monitors accurate? (Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:47 pm to xXLSUXx)
quote:
Ones that use bioelectrical impedance, (whether hand held or standing scale) are they useful for measuring accurate body fat %?
They can be easily influenced by water weight.
Calipers aren't the most accurate either, but are good for measuring progress (you might not know if the # is accurate, but you know if the # goes down from week to week).
Apparently the only way to get a truly accurate (and even these have some error) measure is to do a DEXA scan or something similar.
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Bullfrog
LSU Fan
LTI
Member since Jul 2010
8027 posts
Online
| re: Are body fat monitors accurate? (Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:48 pm to xXLSUXx)
Mine is directionally correct only.
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13SaintTiger
New Orleans Saints Fan
Member since Aug 1904
Member since Sep 2011
2410 posts
| re: Are body fat monitors accurate? (Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:48 pm to Captain Ron)
quote:
Worst case is it gives you a baseline for bf%.
If the number is going down week to week, it's a good thing.
Not exactly a true statement using the scale and handheld device. They can fluctuate based on a number of things but it is true for a skin fold.
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LOCO5150 
Arkansas Fan
Member since Sep 2011
3753 posts
| re: Are body fat monitors accurate? (Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:55 pm to xXLSUXx)
I can look at someone and tell you within about 1% what their actual body fat % is. Based on this, they are all off by about 15% +/-.
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