Touch Body fat is twice actual body fat
ToxChick
Registered Users Posts: 3 
Apprentice Traveler
Apprentice Traveler
Why is the touch so incredible inaccurate? What is the math behind this showing TWICE the actual body fat according to 4 other measures (BodPod, Dexa, Tanita, and a 7 point caliper test). All of those tests were in agreement by 2%...the Touch DOUBLES those values. If someone didn't have the resources I have to calibrate bodyfat, they would be profoundly disheartened and likely not bother exercising. I can see being up to 4% off, but not 200% off. Did you guys rush this product out before testing it?
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Comments
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Every fat measure besides clinical testing is an estimate at best, and they vary based on the methodology. Every body fat composition device takes a measure differently, some measure the whole body (if you stand on sensor pads and hold them in your hand as well), and others (like the Touch) are predominantly looking at the upper body as they are using the hands (arms) only. Since the torso has a much higher fat content than the rest of the body (this is where most people keep fat stores, plus the organs are all protected by visceral fat), a torso dominated measurement will generally be a higher number. The important thing to look at is not the actual number itself, but at the trend. Is the number going up and down over time (looking at weeks and months, not days)? That is the key, to look at the trend, not at a specific number. The measurement is also heavily influenced by the time of day you take it, your hydration level, where you are on your menses cycle (for women) and other factors that it will vary day by day. By looking at it over the long term and seeing how it is trending you will get value out of it.
I am a competitive athlete with body fat in the single digits (8%-9% generally) and the Touch shows me around 15%. But it is consistently off by that percent, so knowing that it is always going to be offset, I do not worry about the specific number but more if the number is improving or getting worse.
I imagine this is not what you were hoping to hear but let me know if this answered your question. If it did, please mark it as a solution so other can look for it if they have the same question.0 -
Just an excuse to implement a gimmick instead of really usefull features.0
