Tanita UM-041 - Manual (Page 4)

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Tanita Body Fat Monitor/Scales allow you to determine your body fat percentage at home as easily as you measure your weight.
What is Body Fat Percentage?
Body fat percentage is the percentage of fat in your body. Too much body fat has been linked to conditions such as high blood
pressure, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other disabling conditions.
With this device, persons 18 and 19 years old should use the evaluation scale for persons 20 - 39 years old, and persons age 80 and
over should use the evaluation scale for persons age 60 - 79.
The BIA Method
Tanita Body Fat Monitor/Scales use the BIA (Bioelectrical Impedance
Analysis) technique. In this method, a safe, low-level electrical signal is
passed through the body. It is difficult for the signal to flow through fat in
the human body, but easy to flow through moisture in the muscle and other
body tissues. The difficulty with which a signal flows through a substance
is called impedance. So the more resistance, or impedance, the signal
encounters, the higher the body fat reading.
Body Fat Percentage Fluctuations in a Day
Hydration levels in the body may affect body fat readings. Readings are usually highest in the early waking hours, since the body
tends to be dehydrated after a long night’s sleep. For the most accurate reading, a person should take a body fat percentage reading at
a consistent time of day under consistent conditions.
Besides this basic cycle of fluctuations in the daily body fat readings, variations may be caused by hydration changes in the body due
to eating, drinking, menstruation, illness, exercising, and bathing. Daily body fat readings are unique to each person, and depend
upon one’s lifestyle, job and activities.
PRINCIPLES OF ESTIMATING BODY FAT PERCENTAGE
Tanita’s patented “foot-pad”
design sends a safe, lowlevel
electrical signal through the body
to determine its composition.
Body Fat Ranges for Standard Adults 1,2
1 Based on NIH/WHO BMI Guidelines.
2 As reported by Gallagher, et al,
at NY Obesity Research Center.
To determine the percentage of body fat
that is appropriate for your body,
consult your physician.
Underfat
Female 20–39
Age 40–59
60–79
Male 20–39
Age 40–59
60–79
Underfat
Healthy
Healthy
Overfat
Overfat
Obese
Obese