This Salter Scale uses a measurement method known as Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA). A minute current is sent through your body, via your feet and legs. This current flows easily through the lean muscular tissue, which has a high fluid content, but not easily through fat. Therefore, by measuring your body’s impedance (i.e. its resistance to the current), the quantity of muscle can be determined. From this, the quantity of fat and water can then be estimated.

The current is less than 1mA, which is tiny and perfectly safe. You will not be able to feel it. Please note however, that this device should not be used by anyone with an internal electronic medical device, such as a pacemaker, as a precaution against disruption to that device.

Your body fat percentage reading varies with body water content, and the latter changes throughout the course of the day. There is no right or wrong time of the day to take a reading, but aim to take measurements at a regular time when you consider your body to be normally hydrated. Avoid taking readings after having a bath or sauna, following intensive exercise, or within 1-2 hours of drinking in quantity or eating a meal.

Different Body Fat Analysers take measurements around different parts of the body and use different mathematic algorithms to calculate the percentage of body fat. The best advice is to not make comparisons from one device to another, but to use the same device each time to monitor any change.

Please refer to the Body Fat and Water tables included with the product. They will guide you as to whether your body fat and water reading falls into a healthy category (relative to your age and sex).

A sensible diet, fluid intake and exercise program can reduce your body fat percentage. Professional medical guidance should always be sought before embarking on such a program.

Women naturally carry a higher percentage of fat than men, because the make-up of the body is different being geared towards pregnancy, breastfeeding etc.

Ensure that you are regularly taking sufficient water and work towards moving your fat percentage into the healthy range.

During pregnancy a woman’s body composition changes considerably in order to support the developing child. Under these circumstances, body fat percentage readings could be inaccurate and misleading. Pregnant women should therefore only use the weight function.