RENPHO Body Fat Scale Review

What is the RENPHO Scale?

The RENPHO scale is one of the top-rated scales on Amazon to meaure body composition. 

It’s a smart scale that integrates with popular fitness apps.

It’s easy to use and set up and can give you a wide overview of your health, wellness, and help you track your fitness goals.

The scale measures 13 metrics when you step on.[1]

You can get readings for all of them in just a few seconds.

The design of the scale features four sensors, and you can enable Bluetooth on your smartphone to track all of your scale measurements.

As a smart scale, the RENPHO works with sensors that use what is called bioelectrical impedance.

This means that a minor electrical current goes up through your leg and across your pelvis. It can measure the amount of resistance that current receives from your body fat.

The other sensors can measure the current’s resistance as it goes back through the other leg.

The more resistance the current meets, the higher the percentage of fat. The scientific reason for this is because fat has less water than muscle.

Therefore, fat is denser than muscle, making it more challenging for the current to travel through.

Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis

Specifically, this scale uses bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to provide readings of the metrics measured by the scale.[2]

The human body is made up of different tissues. Each has different levels of electrical conductivity.

The current of a scale using BIA will go through most tissues, including muscles and water.

A scale like RENPHO measures the voltage drop between the source and the received electrodes. Then, the resistance level of tissues is measured based on the passage of the current.

If you have an electronic medical implant, including a pacemaker, you should not use a scale that’s a body composition model. If you’re pregnant, you should use the weight function exclusively and none of the other functions.

Is a Body Fat Scale Accurate?

For the most part, while they are estimates, body fat scales like the RENPHO are considered pretty accurate.

Some variables can affect accuracies, such as your age, where you store fat, and gender. For example, women tend to store more fat than men.

You can’t use a body fat scale as your only indicator of health or wellness, but it is helpful to have at home between doctors’ visits.

Research studies have found that body fat scales are pretty accurate overall.[3]

You do need to manage your expectations with a body fat scale though. 

What Are the Pros and Cons of a Body Fat Scale?

A body fat scale has some pros but also some cons to be aware of.

The big benefit of a body fat scale like the RENPHO is the fact that it’s convenient.

Even if the measurements you get from a body fat scale are inaccurate, you can still track your progress consistently. You can get a good feel for how effective your current diet or exercise strategy is if you’re consistently relying on the measurements of the same body fat scale.

However, the big downside of a body fat scale is that it doesn’t show where the fat is stored on your body.

Where fat is stored is a big part of how likely you are to develop certain diseases.

For example, there are links between high levels of abdominal fat and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

What Does the Scale Measure?

The RENPHO scale measures:

• Bodyweight: Maintaining a healthy weight reduces your risk of chronic illnesses like high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Maintaining a healthy body weight can also help you feel good about yourself and pave the way for a fulfilling, active life.
• Muscle mass: This is a measure of the weight of the muscles in your body. Muscle mass includes smooth muscles, skeletal muscles, and the water contained in muscles. You can burn more body fat if you have higher levels of muscle mass.
• Body fat percentage: Your percentage of body fat can help you figure out what your weight fluctuations mean. For example, if you’re gaining weight but losing body fat, it can mean that your workouts are paying off. Looking at body fat percentage gives you a much better view of what’s really going on with your body, your diet and your fitness.
• Skeletal muscle: There are three types of muscle tissue. There’s smooth and cardiac muscle, and then skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscle is attached to the bone. It’s a combination of nerves, bones, muscle tissue, and blood vessels. With healthy levels of skeletal muscle, you can be more effective in your exercise and movements. Healthy skeletal muscle levels can also help prevent fat storage.
• Water percentage: The RENPHO scale can measure body water. Your body needs enough water to function properly. The human body should be made up of at least 50% water. The ideal percentage for women can range from 45 to 60%. It can be between 50 and 65% of the total body for men. If you’re athletic, you should aim to have at least 5% more total body water than the average range.
• Fat-free body weight: This metric is also called lean body mass. It is a measure of your body’s components except fat, and it includes muscle, organs, water, and bone.
• BMI: Body mass index or BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight.
• Bone mass: The RENPHO models can help you learn more about the health of your bones. The scale conducts electricity at different rates in bone, so it can estimate your bone mass.
• Protein: The RENPHO can measure protein mass, the amount of protein in your body. There are links between muscle mass and protein mass. A lack of protein is associated with increased body fat.
• Basal metabolism: Your basal metabolic rate measures the number of calories your body needs to function. It’s based on how many calories you would need if you rested for 24 hours. If you have a high basal metabolic rate, you burn more calories than someone with a low rate. Around 70% of the calories you take daily are used for basal metabolism. The higher the muscle mass, the higher your BMR tends to be, and the higher the number of calories you’re likely to burn.
• Body age: This will measure your basal metabolic age to the average of your age group. If your metabolic age is higher than your chronological age, it might indicate you should work on improving your metabolic rate. You can improve your metabolic rate through exercising, which builds healthy muscle tissue.
• Visceral fat: This measures the fat protecting your vital organs. You need to have a healthy level of visceral fat to reduce your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. You can also look at the measure to determine your risk of developing diabetes. Even if your overall weight remains the same, you might have more visceral fat as you age, which can be a serious health concern.
• Subcutaneous fat: This is the fat stored beneath your skin. For example, you’re pinching your subcutaneous fat when you pinch your skin. This contrasts your visceral fat, stored inside your muscle wall and around your organs. Subcutaneous fat is what we think of from a vanity standpoint.

Understanding the difference between body fat and BMI is a big part of getting the most from the RENPHO scale or any body fat scale.

Body mass index or BMI is a measured height and weight ratio.

According to the CDC, BMI can be a good tool to help determine if someone is overweight or underweight.

It doesn’t measure body fat directly, though. Nor does measuring BMI give any indications about your muscle mass.

Muscle is denser than fat, so you may have a higher body weight that’s actually the result of exercise.

Dimensions and Specifications

The Renpho body fat scale can measure a maximum weight of up to 396 pounds or 180 kg.

The body fat scale uses three AAA batteries, so be aware before buying. 

The dimensions are 11x11x1 inches, so it’s small with a slim profile that’s easy to store. The scale won’t take up a lot of space in your bathroom. 

The body fat scale has four electrodes, and the glass it’s constructed of is double-tempered.

There’s also a stabilizing and anti-slip pad. You can’t place it on the carpet, because you won’t get an accurate reading. 

The body fat scale works with Bluetooth 4.0 and above. It works with Apple Watch but not Apple Watch Series 1. 

The material is glass and weighs 1.29 kg, just over 2.84 pounds. 

You should not let the scale corners hit anything. The manufacturer recommends you wrap the four corners with something soft to prevent it from breaking. 

The standard scale model is relatively old, introduced in December 2016. There are newer body fat scales available. 

RENPHO Scale App

The RENPHO scale is Bluetooth-enabled.

You can weigh anytime you want and get your metrics without turning on the app. Your data will automatically sync to the app whenever it’s turned on again.

With the app, you can track your progress using visuals like graphs and charts.

The app also supports Google Fit, the Fitbit App, and Apple Health, so you can transfer your data from the scale to those apps within just one second.

Your entire family can use the scale and app as well. You can create multiple profiles so that all of your data is separated.

For your data to sync, you should enable Bluetooth on your phone, and if you have Android 6.0+, you need to turn on location.

Rechargeable

One of the big benefits of the RENPHO is that its battery is rechargeable.

The battery is long-lasting, built-in, and takes between three to four hours to charge fully.

Then, that battery charge should provide you with two to three months of use.

You can charge your scale with any USB source. You can use, for example, the included USB cable.

What Do RENPHO Scale Reviews Say?

This scale is one of the top-rated body analysis scales on Amazon. It’s also very inexpensive.

There are thousands of ratings for this scale and its different variations. Highlights of the reviews include:

• Users say the app is easy to use, and it takes just a few minutes to set up a profile
• Reviews say that it’s great that multiple people can use the scale and track their results without them affecting one another
• The scale can track weight loss, so you don’t have to do the math on your own
• Users describe the app as intuitive, with a lot of features
• Many reviews say this scale is equal in quality to much more expensive body fat scales
• Some reviewers came back after having the scale for a year or more to report it’s still working great
• A lot of people leaving reviews say they like that the app can integrate with things like FitBit
• Being able to charge the batteries is a big plus for many customers who use the RENPHO

There are very few negative reviews for this scale. Only 3% are two-star or one-star. For the most part, these reviews seem to be related to a faulty scale that someone rarely receives, which the company then replaces.

Frequently Asked Questions

The following are brief answers to some of the most common questions about this scale.

How Accurate is RENPHO Scale?

According to reviews, this scale is fairly accurate.

You can also use it consistently to track your progress.

A few things to note about the Renpho scale accuracy include:

• The Renpho scale accuracy is based on weak electrical impulses sent throughout your body. The pulse will encounter levels of resistance from tissues and substances. 
• The scale will use a formula incorporating personal information about you, like your height, weight, and gender, with electrical resistance. 
• Then, the Renpho body fat scale will give a percentage of total fat, muscle, and water. These are just estimates, however. 
• Fat has more resistance than water or muscle. 
• Most home body fat scales aren’t 100% accurate, and some aren’t even close. 
• The accuracy of the Renpho scale is not bad, but again, it’s not an exact measurement. The accuracy will give you a general idea of your body composition. More importantly, it will help you learn more about your progress if you follow particular routines. 
• A good rule of thumb is to combine the measurements you get with a body fat scale with a calculation of your BMI, giving you a complete picture. 
• With the body fat scale from Renpho, you can have it work alongside Apple Health, Google Fit, Fitbit, and Samsung. Even if the scale’s accuracy isn’t perfect, you can monitor the bigger picture of your health and wellness and make improvements. 
• The Renpho scale accuracy is going to give you more information than a traditional non-digital scale, at around the same price. 

How Does the RENPHO Scale Work?

This scale works by sending electrical signals through your body.

You step onto the scale with sensors under your feet using bioelectrical impedance.

The electrical current runs up your leg and across your pelvis. It measures the resistance from body fat.

How Does Renpho Calculate Visceral Fat?

Visceral fat is measured the same way other measurements are taken.

The scale will send a low electrical current up through your foot and read through your other foot. 

Should You Use Athlete Mode?

There’s a lot of discussion about RENPHO athlete mode on Reddit and blogs, so should you be using it?

According to the RENPHO Scale Athletic mode Reddit information we were able to find, as well as details from the company, the following are things to know:

• For purposes of the scale, an athlete works consistently for around two hours at a time, three hours a week. This could also apply to people who used to work out often but do so less now.
• The mode can work well for people who do endurance sports like cycling and running.
• The reason for Athlete Mode is that it was discovered that estimates of body fat using a bioelectrical impedance analysis or BIA might be overestimating the body fat percentage of adults who are athletes. There are physiological variations in people who are athletes compared to the body composition of the average person who’s somewhat active.
• Variations include hydration levels and also bone density.
• For those reasons, you should use Athlete Mode in the RENPHO app to get the most accurate results if the above criteria apply to you.

RENPHO Health App vs. RENPHO App

The RENPHO Health App is a platform constantly optimized and updated. The RENPHO Health App replaces the RENPHO App. Your previous data should automatically transfer if you have the same account information.

What Apps Does RENPHO Connect With?

The RENPHO connects with FitBit, Google Fit, Apple Health, and Samsung Health. There’s also an available Apple Watch App.

Who Should Buy the Renpho Scale?

You might consider buying this scale if:

• You want a general overview of your body composition. 
• You already use other health and fitness apps this scale will integrate with. 
• This scale is a good option for someone who is starting a diet or exercise routine and wants to track their progress. 

Who Should Not Buy the Scale?

You shouldn’t buy this scale if you want a 100% accurate measurement of your body fat. If so, you might need to choose another way to measure that. 

You should also avoid this scale if you don’t like the idea of using another app. This digital smart scale works best when it’s used along with the supporting app and also other fitness platforms like Fitbit. 

[1] https://www.withings.com/us/en/health-insights/about-bioelectrical-impedance-analysis

[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/bioelectrical-impedance-analysis

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4118362/