by Paula Mead

Created on: August 19, 2008   Last Updated: August 22, 2008

The amount of body fat we carry around makes a difference to our shape and health. A body fat monitor uses Bioelectrical Impedance technology to determine the percentage of body fat carried on the body, these are easy to operate and available for home use. They work by sending a low level electrical signal through the body (when sensors are stood on). The signal travels quickly through lean tissue as it contains more water (therefore a good conductor of electricity). The signal travels more slowly through fat as it contains less water and so conducts electricity poorly. You can check how healthy your percentage is on a body fat chart, results are dependant on gender and age.

Other methods of measuring body fat include the use of callipers to determine the thickness of the subcutaneous fat layer, or calculating your Body Mass Index- simple but not fool proof as it cannot distinguish fat from muscle. Once your BMI is known it can be checked against a BMI chart to discover if its within a healthy range. Neither of these methods are as accurate or scientific as a body fat monitor reading.

Body fat monitors can be used within an exercise program to measure the percentage of body fat, which is then recorded and regularly compared to observe progress over a period of time.

When purchasing, look for programmable memory features so you don't have to input your data again and again. Those that incorporate a traditional scale can be useful.

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