19
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
functions?
For maximum accuracy and repeatability, it is recommended that the scale's body fat
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
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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.
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who consistently trains a minimum of three times per week for two hours each time, in
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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
smooth and cardiac
. All of these muscles can stretch and contract, but they perform
very different functions.
Skeletal muscle:
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generates heat
Smooth muscle:
Found in the walls of hollow organs
Cardiac muscle:
Exists only in your heart
Skeletal muscle
The tissue most commonly thought of as muscle is skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscles
cover your skeleton, giving your body its shape. They are attached to your skeleton by
strong, springy tendons or are directly connected to rough patches of bone. Skeletal
18
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
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the electrical signal will flow with a different degree of difficulty. The difficulty with which
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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.
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
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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
EHWWHUDFFXUDF\DYRLGÀXFWXDWLRQLQK\GUDWLRQOHYHOSULRUWRWKHHVWLPDWLRQ7KHDFFXUDF\RIWKH
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)
4. When should I use the scale' s body fat and total body water
you have drunk or how much you have sweated immediately prior to the estimation. For
and total body water functions be used at approximately the same time of
3. Why is it important to monitor percentage Total Body Water (%TBW) in
body water that can be ordered by your physician.
body weight. These muscles can be divided
into three different groups: skeletal,
