Aren’t electrical body fat testers more accurate?
Absolutely not. First of all, read the abstract or download the This URL has been removed! from the December 1998 issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, "Validity of Self-Assessment Techniques for Estimating Percent Fat in Men and Women." The Accu-Measure was recommended over another self-assessment device, the Futrex 1000, a near infrared device, which significantly overestimated % body fat.
The Body Logic Fat Analyzer from Omron and the Body Fat Monitor / Scale from Tanita send a low-voltage current through the body. Devices such as these measure how much body tissues impede the flow of electrical current. They do not measure actual body fat content. In a study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology found that impedance measurements made by six different commercial instruments varied by as much as 40% from the actual impedance of a known standard. According to the New York Times, "an impedance result for someone will not accurately predict body-fat content unless it is compared with the results of people who are similar in various ways like age, weight, sex, height and athleticism and who have also been tested with some more accurate measuring tool." Other factors affect impedance such as body positioning during testing, hydration status, recent consumption of food and beverages, ambient air and skin temperatures, and recent physical activity. The New York Times found results varied on a tester - from 16 to 27% body fat - too inconsistent for a person serious about body fat management.
Of course, you can always go to a hospital for a Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry test, but we prefer self-measurement at a lower cost, without getting zapped.