Smart Scales: Are They Really ‘IQ Tax’?

With a sentence left a deep impression in 'Growth Hacker' : 'Unmeasurable, no growth.' In data analysis, to achieve growth in performance, you must first measure and statistics.'

And if you apply growth theory to weight loss, you must first understand how 'fat' you are. You need a scale to weigh yourself.

Today is not the same as before, technology has advanced, our pursuit of health is only limited to weight, there are many other data, such as BMI, body fat percentage, visceral fat level, basal metabolic rate, etc. Previously, these data needed to be measured in hospitals or gyms using specialized Inbody body composition analyzers, while now, you only need a smart body fat scale.

• Can home body fat scales have the same effect as thousands of dollars in gyms?
• What use are BMI, body fat percentage, bone muscle, etc.?
• Are body fat scales high-tech gimmick or really effective?

As a fitness newbie, today I'm going to take a look at them with everyone.

I. Product Use

Just in time for the New Year, my parents' units issued body fat scales, and two models are very representative, one is based on indicators, the other is based on brand background, let's compare these two models.

One isCloud Kangbao Smart Body Fat Scale,The main focus is on the number of indicators, taking a professional route.

One isHuawei Smart Body Fat Scale Wifi Edition,The main focus is on social functions and user experience, taking a popular route.

From the appearance, both body fat scales adopt glass panel, white body, the detection technology is similar, both through the foot contact chip measurement, similar to Inbody body composition analyzer.

The only difference is that Cloud Kangbao machine is smaller, the packaging has a label (not suitable for feet over 43cm), Huawei machine is larger, measurement is more stable.

However, this doesn't affect what we're focusing on, we don't need to care about.

II. Software Display

Connecting the 'Internet of Things' to the mobile phone, body fat scales are no exception. I use Huawei mate30 pro, so here I will use it as a experience tool.1. Whether to download softwareCloud Kangbao Body Fat Scale needs to download 'Light Cow Health' APP, Huawei Body Fat Scale can directly use the mobile phone's built-in 'Health' software, no need to install additional software.

Light Cow Health is a single-function software, can only be used as a companion for body fat scale.

Huawei's Health software is a functional integrated software, including exercise records, sleep, weight, etc.

If you find it inconvenient to open software to view data every time, both body fat scales support displaying body fat rate, heart rate, etc. after measuring weight, making it more convenient.

2. What indicators are measured

In addition to the mandatory measurements of weight data from both products, Cloud Kangbao measures 15 data items, Huawei measures 13 data items.

Of these 11 indicators are common indicators, 6 are individual indicators.

3. Indicator interpretation

Common indicators

'What functions do they have and why are they important'

• Although both body fat scales have comprehensive indicators, there are still some problems with the interpretation, guidance and unit of measurement.

Huawei can only provide interpretation, without further health guidance.

Cloud Kangbao not only has interpretation, but also provided reasonable health guidance, let you know what to do next.

Individual indicators

4. Report reading

• Although body fat scales are priced differently than body composition analyzers, the measurement project is the same, which can reflect the approximate contour of your body and remind you to maintain health. However, if you require it to measure exactly the muscle content of the upper and lower limbs, left and right torso, it's unlikely to achieve it.

Let's take a look at a report from the perspective of a report, here I say that the value of body fat scale's report is not the accuracy of the measurement, but whether it can reflect the changes in your body and what aspects have changed.

Let's look at Cloud Kangbao, the dual-color interface, blue and white, but it wants to include a lot of information on the page, the data marker is too messy, it's difficult to grasp the key points of the report immediately.

Again, let's take a look at Huawei, the gray and white dual-color interface, the indicators are arranged in a nine-grid layout, although the data can be grasped at a glance, but there is no intuitive way to display these indicators.

It can be said that both body fat scales are trying to display data, but due to the small size of the mobile phone screen, they cannot clearly convey the meaning of the data, so no one is better than anyone.

Information acquisitionSince the first view cannot obtain valuable information, let's examine these indicators carefully.Cloud Kangbao's screen top displays body score and body shape diagram.Here I explain that the body score is not an absolute indicator, but calculated based on your body data performance and your age, it's a slightly better way for people with health as their goal, and some light exercisers, hoping to slightly improve their body shape, such as beer belly, etc. For more serious and intermediate fitness people, it has little effect.Huawei's screen is most prominent is weight, body score is second, it can be seen that the design is aimed at weight reducers, using weight data as the primary incentive.

• Data interpretation

Let's look at the data carefully.

Cloud Kangbao's data is arranged reasonably, but highlights the heart rate indicator, and some invalid data, needs to be recalculated and analyzed, Huawei is less scientific in reading, and the interpretation and suggestions for indicators need professional support.

Besides, Cloud Kangbao has a 'deep report' button at the bottom of the page, which provides a further body composition report when clicked.

And for Huawei, when I compare these indicators one by one, I found that Huawei's interpretation and suggestions for indicators are not scientific, and cannot be analyzed.

• For example, for the fat rate indicator, it is an indirect indicator of obesity, composed of subcutaneous fat and visceral fat. Subcutaneous fat needs to be consumed through exercise, while visceral fat will decrease with reducing fat and refined carbohydrates, and high sugar intake.

Or do some aerobic exercise, this is a good way to lose weight. But Huawei's software suggests trying to turn your waist, side waist, lift hips and tighten abdomen, and extend your back. These actions can only relax muscles and promote blood circulation, and there is no relationship with fat loss.

And I found that there was a data error in the indicator.

This time my dad's data was collected, 57 years old, 180cm tall, 80kg weight, according to the calculation, my dad's basal metabolic rate should be around 1569 kcal. But in the Huawei body fat scale measurement data, my dad's basal metabolic rate deviated significantly, and the average value was taken multiple times, still so.

In summary, Cloud Kangbao's data is arranged reasonably, but overemphasizes the heart rate indicator, and some invalid data, needs to be recalculated and analyzed, Huawei is less scientific in reading, and the interpretation and suggestions for indicators need professional support.III. Deep Report Comparison

IV. Summary

• Since there is no professional analyzer for comparison, here I can only say that the measurement project and professional instruments are the same, which can reflect the approximate contour of your body and remind you to maintain health. However, if you require it to measure exactly the muscle content of the upper and lower limbs, left and right torso, it's unlikely to achieve it.

We need to know that the importance of the scale is not the accuracy of the measurement, but whether it can reflect the changes in your body and what aspects have changed.

Therefore, the focus of the body fat scale is not the accuracy of the measurement, but whether it can reflect the changes in your body and what aspects have changed.

As for the choice of which product, I believe you will understand from the above analysis which aspects to examine.

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57180cm80KG 1569