Boots body fat measurer

Went into boots earlier and used one of their bmi/body fat percentage scales and it told me that despite having a BMI of 22.9 I have a body fat percentage of 35.9% :s-smilie:

Seeing as I'm a healthy weight how is that even possible? I eat healthily and I exercise regularly. What's going on? Should I worry about this?

Reply 1

Jennybean

13

Christ, that's higher than mine and I'm overweight going by BMI... I would ask a doctor to check, I'm not entirely sure how accurate those BF% calculators are, especially if it's in constant use in a chemist.

Reply 2

minimo

15

Angrybanana

Went into boots earlier and used one of their bmi/body fat percentage scales and it told me that despite having a BMI of 22.9 I have a body fat percentage of 35.9% :s-smilie:

Seeing as I'm a healthy weight how is that even possible? I eat healthily and I exercise regularly. What's going on? Should I worry about this?

It told me I had a bodyfat of 30.something when my BMI was 21. I assume it's a glitch or something coz I don't see the fat...

Reply 3

FTC199

13

you are female so your body fat percentage will be high anyway, these work by sending an electrical current through your body, did you hold onto something or would it have seem sent through your feet on the scales? because if it was sent through your feet then wearing rubber shoes could have affected it (obscure but a theory).

Your BMI is healthy, although it is on the higher side of healthy (ever so slightly). Also, some people just naturally store more body fat (there is a gene on something).

These are all theories though, im not sure they are entirely scientific

Reply 4

ryan*TANK

7

those electric scales for determining bodyfat are ridiculous

they will always be wrong, so many variables will effect the reading, hydration levels, salt levels etc all sorts.

most efficient way of having it checked is by having someone check your bodyfat levels with calipers

dont take notice of BMI, its bull****, its a standard the government introduced to meet targets, its a scale to measure demographics, based on averages, its not for individual use.

Reply 5

Ed.

17

It could be wrong. Sometimes those machines come out with really random readings. Normally if you have another go it will come out with a more accurate figure. Unless of course your body fat is 30 odd %, but I doubt it.

Reply 6

Angrybanana

OP

11

I held onto those handle things either side, though I was wearing flip-flops with rubber soles. For a female the average seems to be about 29% so obviously I'm a bit irked by this..

I could try and lose a few pounds but would that make enough of a difference? It put my height at 5'6 and my weight at 10st2lb so I don't think I really need to lose any weight and as I've said my lifestyle is quite healthy.

Reply 7

ch0c0h01ic

18

They're not that accurate, i wouldn't worry. As long as you're a healthy weight, can do what you want, when you want and feel good about yourself what good is a number? I've had a heart rate monitor tell me that i was having a heart attack when i was on a stationary bike in the gym before if it's any consolation.

Reply 8

fredscarecrow

18

Yeh, I never trust them. My brother used to fence and his tutor got them all to do the body fat thing..now my brother is insanely thin, underweight by BMI but according to his fat perecntage thing, he was obese...

Reply 9

Angrybanana

OP

11

If these things are so inaccurate then why are they putting them out for the public to use? Dangerous really, as it could encourage more vulnerable people to starve themselves and stuff.

Reply 10

treasureBelle

15

Angrybanana

Went into boots earlier and used one of their bmi/body fat percentage scales and it told me that despite having a BMI of 22.9 I have a body fat percentage of 35.9% :s-smilie:

Seeing as I'm a healthy weight how is that even possible? I eat healthily and I exercise regularly. What's going on? Should I worry about this?

BMI isn't an accurate measure - it fails to take into account muscle mass.
I know fit, healthy guys who play a lot of rugby, who according to BMI measures are measured as obese - when actually a lot of their weight is muscle.

If you eat healthily and exercise regularly, then I wouldn't worry about it. :smile:

Reply 11

Angrybanana

OP

11

treasureBelle

BMI isn't an accurate measure - it fails to take into account muscle mass.
I know fit, healthy guys who play a lot of rugby, who according to BMI measures are measured as obese - when actually a lot of their weight is muscle.

If you eat healthily and exercise regularly, then I wouldn't worry about it. :smile:

Thanks

BMI is ok, it's the body fat percentage that worries me as it's completely at odds with everything else.

Reply 12

ryan*TANK

7

Why wont you take my advice? You silly ****.

Reply 13

Angrybanana

OP

11

ryan*TANK

Why wont you take my advice? You silly ****.

Um..what?

I did read your advice, and I'll bear it in mind. No need to be so damn aggressive.

Reply 14

ryan*TANK

7

I'm right.

Ignore the results.

Reply 15

Antiaris

9

Currently dealing with an eating disorder.

The machine said that my weight was under, my height was good and my body fat was between average and good. I am not taking the body fat into consideration with these machines anymore for that simple reason. I have incredibly elastic skin, and one of the main problems people have when they see me topless is that they see the definition of my muscles... and my bones. If a machine says that my body fat percentage is that high when you can see the bone definition and muscle definition... I don't really know what to say.

Hoping it won't cause a relapse, but don't take those machines to heart. I don't think they can be that accurate from a shop floor, the only thing that would be reliable would be weight.

Reply 16

StressReliever

8

Those biolectrical impedance scales cannot accurately assess body fat levels.

Reply 17

StressReliever

8

Original post by Angrybanana

I held onto those handle things either side, though I was wearing flip-flops with rubber soles. For a female the average seems to be about 29% so obviously I'm a bit irked by this..

I could try and lose a few pounds but would that make enough of a difference? It put my height at 5'6 and my weight at 10st2lb so I don't think I really need to lose any weight and as I've said my lifestyle is quite healthy.

Why don't you get some accu-measure body fat callipers. Granted they aren't 100% reliable (no method is) but should give you a somewhat better idea of your body fat levels compared to biolectrical impedance scales.

http://www.accumeasurefitness.com/

You can buy them on ebay and amazon for £10.