What scales measure
Bathroom scales weigh you. Smart scales add an estimate of body fat by passing a small electrical current between the feet and applying a formula based on age, sex and height. Because the current only travels through the legs, the reading depends heavily on hydration, when you last ate, and how your fat is distributed, and readings can swing by several percentage points day to day. They are useful for tracking weight and little else.
What the InBody BWA measures
The InBody BWA 2.0 uses direct segmental multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis: eight electrodes, at the hands and feet, and multiple current frequencies that pass through the whole body and measure each limb and the trunk independently. It does not rely on statistical assumptions about your body type. The output includes skeletal muscle mass, body fat mass and percentage, visceral fat level, total body water split into intracellular and extracellular, and segmental analysis showing where muscle and fat sit. The water measurement is precise enough to be used clinically for fluid balance, which is why the BWA model is used in hospitals.
Why it matters
Weight can stay the same while muscle rises and fat falls, or the reverse. Fluid retention can add kilos that have nothing to do with fat. A scale cannot tell you which is happening; a segmental analysis can, and it can show whether a limb is losing muscle after injury or whether fluid is accumulating.
Accuracy and consistency
InBody results correlate closely with DEXA scanning for body composition, and repeat measurements under the same conditions are highly consistent. That consistency is what makes it useful for tracking change over a programme.
At Omnia
InBody BWA scans at our Chiswick clinic take a few minutes, are explained by our team, and are used to track progress in our Fitness and Nutrition programme, rehabilitation, and lymphatic and fluid work.