We are all different shapes, sizes and builds, so tracking your weight gain or weight loss is complex: step onto the scales and the kilos or pounds displayed is just a part of the picture. Imagine being able to look inside your body to see what’s behind that singular figure? How much is fat compared to how much is muscle, bone and water? Well, some of the best bathroom scales for measuring body composition are (kind of) like getting a glimpse inside yourself.
Smart scales, an increasingly popular type of weighing scale, measure body composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), which passes a small and safe electrical current through your body. “The scale measures how easily [this current] moves,” explains Dr Vijay Nayar of Healthium Clinics. “Muscle and water conduct electricity well, whereas fat and bone resist it. Hence the scales estimate the proportions of each tissue you have.”
