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Body Fat % not accurate at all.

gmartyn
over 3 years ago

I’d like to know what algorithm the body fat % reading is based off.  It seems overstated in comparison to previous scale readings!  Either the other competition are all wrong and garmin are right or garmin need to review their calculations. 

  • 0 over 3 years ago

    I am having the same issue with my Index 2 scale. If I base it on my original index scale reading, in the span of 1 day, my body fat % increased >13 points. Tinkering with my activity level as some folks have recommended, has not yielded any difference in bf% readings. This is pretty disappointing given the technology and price. 

  • 0 over 3 years ago

    Garmin has been investigating reports of inaccurate body composition metrics reported by customers that have contacted our Product Support teams and discussed in the forums.  This includes getting scales back from customers that exchanged with our Support teams and testing them to ensure they are working as designed.  When comparing measurements such as body fat percentage to the original  Index Smart Scale, non-Garmin smart scales, or handheld body composition devices, different methods are used to obtain the data and it is not unexpected that some data will be different on the Index S2. 

    The Index S2 uses more of the impedance data rather than relying more heavily on a BMI value. We believe that this creates a more accurate reading of body data compared to BMI charts. The body composition metrics provided by Index S2 compares to known gold standard methods (Dexa scan, Bod Pod, etc.) favorably on average. 

     

    To get the most accurate view of your body composition date overtime and determine if you are trending in the right direction compared to your fitness/wellness goals we encourage customers to use the recommendations in this FAQ link:

     

    Why Is My Body Composition Data Different When Compared to other Tests or Scales?

     

    Like other products, the scale has an accuracy tolerance, but we meet or exceed standards for body weight scales. If you are seeing large fluctuations in the metrics displayed on the Index S2, when taking a measurement at around the same time of day and under similar conditions noted in the above FAQ, we recommend contacting our Support teams directly so that we investigate the specific reports.