Sport Body Fat measurement
- Thread starter rickster
- Start date
Sport Fitness
Well as you age, your metabolism slows down. So if you ate the same as back then you would be gaining weight.
You probably have more body fat than you think because ase you age, fat tend to get stored more internally, so you would have to use age specific calculation if you were to use the method of skinfolds.
You probably have more body fat than you think because ase you age, fat tend to get stored more internally, so you would have to use age specific calculation if you were to use the method of skinfolds.
If you used skinfold pinches, the formula may assume amounts of internal fat based on age (internal fat tends to increase as one gets older).
If you used an electrical scale, the formula may assume that amounts of bone mass decrease based on age, so that a higher resistance reading indicates more fat and less bone than it would in a younger person.
These assumptions may be inaccurate for older people who are highly athletic. Some electrical scales have "athlete" modes that change the bone mass assumption. Some skinfold pinch tables tell athletes to use the young adult line of the table.
It is probably best to use any body fat measure as a means of tracking progress, rather than assuming that it is absolutely accurate.
Thanks for the responses. I measured using a body fat scale, then did skinfold calipers and they were quite close.
I understand the responses, but I'm pretty lean (6', 168 lbs) but have been consistently lifting weights for over 15 years and run and cycle.
I guess I should just use it as a guide to see if I gain or lose...
I understand the responses, but I'm pretty lean (6', 168 lbs) but have been consistently lifting weights for over 15 years and run and cycle.
I guess I should just use it as a guide to see if I gain or lose...
I forget which way it works...but if you're dehydrated, chances are it reads as LESS body fat, right? Or is it more if you're dehydrated. I fluctuate by 3-4% all the time...
Mine says I'm over 20% BF which I know is not the case
Well you must have a ***** tanita. there are very good ones available..
yep, Tanita LOL
How about on calipers? Does the amount of water you consume prior to the test alter results a lot?
It's recommended to have a glass of water beforehand correct?
A low end one that does not have an "athlete" mode?
Every body fat measuring device that I have seen (Tanita or otherwise) except for very low end ones has some sort of setting that changes the bone mass assumption (usually by having a setting based on physical activity, like "athlete" mode), since bone is resistive like fat. Of course, that adjustment itself assumes that any physical activity increases bone density by a similar amount, even though (for example) swimming and weight lifting are significantly different in this respect.
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