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Body fat index way off

barnes20168
over 3 years ago

I have both a Garmin's smart index scales one and two. Recently purchased the S2 which reports a body fat index almost twice as much as the S1. My activity level is set at three because of indoor training. 

  • I Consent to be added to an internal case
  • I Consent to access your Garmin Connect account (if needed)
  • What device/test are you comparing your Index readings to: Smart index One
  • What does your Index S2 display vs what does your reference device display: 25.5 vs. 11.5
  • What is your activity class set to, and is this appropriate for your activity level: 3 
  • 0 over 3 years ago

    I am having the same issue with mine. Other scales measuring between 10-11, my S2 showing as 21%

    • I Consent to be added to an internal case
    • I Consent to access your Garmin Connect account (if needed)
    • What device/test are you comparing your Index readings to: Pi Fit and measurement by my personal trainer
    • What does your Index S2 display vs what does your reference device display: 21.3 vs 11.5
    • What is your activity class set to, and is this appropriate for your activity level: 7. Yes I currently run 70-80 km per week
  • 0 over 3 years ago
    barnes20168 said:

    I have both a Garmin's smart index scales one and two. Recently purchased the S2 which reports a body fat index almost twice as much as the S1. My activity level is set at three because of indoor training. 

    • I Consent to be added to an internal case
    • I Consent to access your Garmin Connect account (if needed)
    • What device/test are you comparing your Index readings to: Smart index One
    • What does your Index S2 display vs what does your reference device display: 25.5 vs. 11.5
    • What is your activity class set to, and is this appropriate for your activity level: 3 

    Hello! 

    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.