body fat question
 

I want to know how accurate calipers are for measing body fat. Take into consideration that I have lost 160 pounds in the last 14 months so there's some sagging, bagging, and dragging going on all over the body.

I am interested in getting my body fat checked, and the local university will do a hydrostatic test for a fee ($50 - $75 and I have to wait a few weeks). I know any gym will do a pinch test for free, but I'm not sure how accurate that will be with all the excess skin.

My third option (I'm hoping this one will be my best choice) - one of those digital / electronic scales that also measure weight / fat / water via conductivity. Are those accurate? I'm just now getting into maintainence so I'd have to buy a decent scale anyway.

Any help with this would be appreciated :D
thanks,
Jane

Jane, congratulations again on your fabulous weight loss! :cp:

I hear you on the skin ... I have/had the same problems and yes, it can affect BF readings if the person using the calipers is inexperienced.

In my opinion, the most accurate BF test is the underwater weighing. It's considered the 'gold standard'.

Next are calipers in the hands of an experienced person, done with a nine-site reading (much more accurate than three or four sites). Someone who's skilled with calipers can usually tell what's fat and what's skin and calipers should be accurate +/- 3%.

I think that BF scales are the most inaccurate way to measure BF. They're all over the place depending on the time of day and your degree of hydration. They're useful for tracking trends over time, however, so long as you use them at the same time of day and under the same conditions.

If you can afford it, what about going for the underwater weighing AND buying a BF scale? That way you could find out your true BF%, compare it to the number on the scale (like 22% underwater = 28% on my scale) and then track the downward trend with the scale, mentally adjusting as you go (does that make sense?)

I've only had my BF done with calipers but there were a few times when I felt embarrassed and self-conscious about the skin. On a nine-site test, you're getting pinched everywhere! It helps if you know the person and feel comfortable with him/her. :)

I've wondered about something ... excess skin is lean body mass (LBM), because everything that isn't fat in our bodies is LBM (hair, skin, bones, water etc. as well as muscle). So does excess skin skew bioelectric impedance devices downward by making it seem like we have higher LBMs? And thereby give us lower BF% than we'd have without the excess skin? :chin:

Probably, but do you really want your skin back? :dizzy:

I was also curious about how much my excess skin weighs - lol. Unfortunately I can only think of one really accurate way of finding out.

Thanks for the info Meg! :D

Nope - just trying to rationalize a higher BF%! :rofl:

Jane - I think a good plastic surgeon can estimate how much weight you'd lose with skin removal. Skin itself is pretty light but sometimes there's fat attached that goes along with it. Unfortunately, I don't know of any other way to figure it out. :)

I agree with Meg. The hydrostatic testing to get an acurate measure of BF and then follow it with the Tanita device, would be a really good idea. One forum member Ultraclyde has been monitoring his weight with the daily photographs, weekly Tanita measurements and so far, two hydrostatic weighings.

Really, taking pictures and following your measurements is sufficient to monitor BF%. Estimating BF% just helps me set long term goals.

What about sitting in one of those pod things? I did that back in the 90's at a gym and they were state of the art at the time. You might find that cheaper than water immersion if you can find the pod thing. It look like a giant white egg if you need to describe it to someone.

They are called "bod pods" and are almost as accurate as a pool dunk. I haven't seen as many around as there were 5 years ago. Fran- did you have yours done at Body Zone on West Chester Pike? (I think it was you that said you used to live near Westtown Rd.)

Mel