How do body fat scales work?

Body fat scales measure how easily a small and safe electric current travels through your body between the electrodes (silver foot pads) you stand on.

The technical term for this is bioelectrical impedance analysis (B.I.A.).

CAUTION: DO NOT USE B.I.A. SCALES/MONITORS IF YOU HAVE AN IMPLANTED MEDICAL DEVICE SUCH AS A PACEMAKER.

• Water is a good conductor of electricity. Therefore, the electric current travels easily (or with less resistance) through parts of your body composed mostly of water.

• Muscle is composed mostly (approximately 75%) of water. Therefore, the easier the current travels, the more muscle and less fat you are estimated to have.

The electric resistance and other information you enter into the scale (height, weight, gender, and age), is used in a formula to estimate your percent body fat.

What should my percent (%) body fat be?

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