How a smart scale works

The personal weighing scale has now become a smart technological gadget, in part because people are in the habit of having as much data about their health as possible. We are, in fact, very interested in calories burn ed and consumed, our average resting heart rate, and the number of daily steps; it is not surprising that weight in kilograms becomes just one of several values that a smart scale can calculate. In addition to weight, in fact, it can measure parameters such as bioelectrical impedance, which is the sending of a low, safe electric current through your body.

But what can a smart scale measure?

Many of the smart scales performs measurement not only of body weight, but also ofbody mass index, percentage ratio of fat to muscle, basal metabolic rate, or daily calories. Some, even, have a mode for athletes or pregnant women and can be linked to smartphone applications that store information, statistics and goals. Smart scales have automatic synchronization with devices, from smartphones to smartwatches, with which you can monitor your weight over time.

What parameters do they measure?

Almost all smart scales do a BMI calculation, which is the body mass index. It basically corresponds to your weight in kilograms divided by the square of your height in meters and goes to indicate your fitness weight status. Some scales have body fat measurement and use a technique called Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA), whereby a small electrical pulse is used from your feet as you step on the scale. This current slowly flows through fat mass versus muscle, and determines what the ratio of fat to muscle is (body fat percentage). It is important to say that people with pacemakers should not use this type of scale, and many are dubious about the certainty of the data. The percentage of water in your body is also a figure that is calculated, as is your basal metabolic rate, which is an estimate of the number of calories your body needs to run it when you are at rest.

Operation and usage tips

To use almost any scale of this type, you must create your profile, entering your height, age, and gender. You must step on the scale barefoot to get correct parameters, and if your feet are too cold, the scale often gives an error reading. A factor that affects the correct body fat reading a lot is the amount of water in your body, and a shower or exercise, can also affect body fat detection because it interacts with blood pressure.