Best smart scales 2024 – technical advisor

The figures below are for guidance only and may vary from country to country.

BMI: Although BMI has come under fire from some people, it is a weight indicator that works for most people most of the time. If you’re not comfortable using BMI as a benchmark (for example, if you lift weights and have high muscle mass), look for a scale that shows your body fat percentage.

If you live in Britain, the NHS suggests that an ideal BMI for adults is between 18.5 and 24.9. Please note that these figures may be different in other parts of the world and depending on where the scale is designed, may not match the range you are used to.

Body fat percentage: This is the part of your body made up of fat cells. This is only a rough indication, but for men aged 20 to 40, 10-20% body fat is considered healthy. For older men, 18-25% is good. For women aged 20 to 40, 19-26% body fat is healthy. In older women, 23-35% are healthy. Again, these are measurements taken in Great Britain and again, they are only a rough guide.

Lean mass: This is a measure of muscle, organs, bones and water, rather than essential or stored fat. Having a high percentage of lean body mass boosts your metabolism, making it easier to maintain an overall healthy weight.

Visceral fat: This is fat that sits around your vital organs and is considered a risk factor for long-term health problems. The scale can also measure subcutaneous fat, the most visible fat on your body, which is less concerning.

Body water Pcentage: This is the volume of water in the body composition. It depends somewhat on age, but men should try to achieve a total body water percentage between 50 and 65 percent. The ideal range for women is between 45 and 60 percent.

Bone Mdonkey: Bone density is an important measure of health because bone, like muscle, is a living material that can become stronger through exercise and a healthy diet (including calcium and vitamin D). In most people, bone mass begins to decline after age 40, and regular exercise can prevent this loss.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): This estimates the energy (measured in calories) that the body uses at rest to maintain normal body functions (heart rate, breathing, maintenance of body temperature, etc.). It gives you an idea of ​​how many calories you can consume per day to maintain the same weight.

Resting heart rate: There are few smart scales that measure this, but scales from Withings and the Eufy P2 Pro do. Normally you can’t track it via a graph in the app, but every time you step on the scale you get a measurement.

Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV): This is currently exclusive to some Withings scales. It is a measure of arterial stiffness and blood flow velocity that is used clinically as an important indicator of heart health and blood pressure problems. Some Withings scales show you a vascular age, which uses the same data to give the result. The premium Withings Body Scan is also equipped with a retractable handle that allows you to take an ECG for in-depth heart rate monitoring.