Rating
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
Standard for Women
20
21
(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.
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.
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. Waste products are carried in
water from cells for excretion in urine and sweat. Water provides form to cells; helps
to maintain body temperature; provides moisture to skin and mucosa; cushions vital
organs; lubricates joints and is a component of many body fluids. The amount of water
in the body fluctuates with the hydration level of the body and state of health. Monitoring
the level of body water can be a useful tool for one's health maintenance. Similar to
body fat estimation, the %TBW function provided in this scale is based on BIA.
The estimated %TBW may vary according to your hydration level, that is, how
much water you have drunk or how much you have sweated immediately prior to
the estimation. For better accuracy, avoid fluctuation in hydration level prior to the
estimation. The accuracy of the scale in estimating TBW will also decrease with
individuals suffering from diseases that tend to accumulate water in the body.
%BF Range
Optimal % TBW Range
Men
4 to 14%
70 to 63%
15 to 21%
63 to 57%
22 to 24%
57 to 55%
25% and over
55 to 37%
Women
4 to 20%
70 to 58%
21 to 29%
58 to 52%
30 to 32%
52 to 49%
33% and over
49 to 37%
The optimal %TBW of an individual varies according to age and gender.
The table as follows may be used as a guide:
(Source: University of Illinois Medical Center, Chicago, USA)
Please be reminded that the %TBW estimated with the scale represents only a
good approximation of your TBW. There exist clinical methods of estimating total
body water that can be ordered by your physician.
4. When should I use the scale' s body fat and total body water functions?
For maximum accuracy and repeatability, it is recommended that the scale's body fat
and total body water functions be used at approximately the same time of the day, e.g.
before breakfast in the morning. It is also a good practice to avoid swings in hydration
level of the body prior to the estimation. Establishing your own baseline value of %BF
and %TBW and track their changes is better than merely comparing your %BF and
%TBW value to the population's "normal" value.
5. Why is the Athlete Mode necessary in a Body Fat Analyzer?
It has been found that body fat estimation using BIA could overestimate the percentage
body fat of adult elite athletes. The physiological variation of athletes in bone density
and level of hydration are two of the reasons said to account for the difference. The
Athlete mode is selectable only for adults of 18 years of age or older.
6. Definition of an Athlete
The general consensus among researchers is that a quantitative dimension could
be used in defining an athlete. For example, an athlete could be defined as a person
who consistently trains a minimum of three times per week for two hours each time, in
order to improve specific skills required in the performance of their specific sport and/or
activity.
7. What is Muscle Mass?
Our Body Fat Scale estimates the weight of Skeletal Muscle Mass in your body.
You've got around 650 muscles in your body, and they make up roughly half of your
bodyweight. These muscles can be divided
into three different groups: skeletal,
smooth and cardiac
. All of these muscles can stretch and contract, but they perform
very different functions.
