Tanita is a Japanese company known for body composition scales for homes, gyms and clinics. Products range from simple foot scales to professional systems estimating different areas of the body.

How it works

The scale sends a very small electrical current through the body. Water rich muscle carries electricity more easily than fat. The device measures resistance and combines it with height, age, sex and weight to estimate body fat, muscle, water, visceral fat and related metrics. Segmental models use extra electrodes to assess body regions.

Key considerations

These figures come from equations and are not direct scans of tissue. Hydration, meals, exercise, skin temperature and electrode contact can shift results. Different Tanita models use different frequencies and body paths, so their readings may not match. Consistent conditions matter most for trends. The scales do not diagnose obesity, dehydration or metabolic disease.