How to get the most accurate smart scale readings 

We’ll explain what you need to do in order to get the most accurate smart scale readings possible. Once you have confidence in the numbers, you’ll be in the best possible position to decide what lifestyle changes you want to make.  

If you want to minimise the variability of your readings, there are a few tips to follow to ensure that you are getting the most accurate and consistent readings possible from your smart scales. 

While you might not be able to guarantee that the readings are entirely accurate (we’ll cover that in more detail below) there are some steps you can take to make sure they are as consistent as possible: 

• Weigh-in at the same time of day, and under the same conditions each time. For many, this might be first thing in the morning, before you’ve had anything to eat or drink, and after you’ve been to the toilet. 
• Make sure the smart scales are placed on an even surface. Some smart scales can work on carpets, but the majority will work best on a hard floor. 

• Ideally, avoid eating or drinking up to two hours before taking a measurement. 
• Avoid skin-to-skin contact – for example, don’t rest your hands on your hips or thighs while weighing yourself. 
• Stay still when using them. The more you move, the harder it is for an accurate reading to be taken. 

By following these steps, you’re going to get the most consistent readings possible. Over time, this will help show you trends in your weight and body composition, allowing you to make any changes to your lifestyle that you consider appropriate. 

Smart scales send their information to an app on your phone or tablet to help you track changes over time. Many smart scales, such as the Withings Body Comp, can also monitor your body composition, and estimate your body fat and muscle mass, among other things. 

As we explained in our guide to body composition, understanding how much body fat and muscle you have can be helpful in a variety of ways. For example, too much fat (especially visceral fat, which wraps around your internal organs) is linked to increased risk of health problems such as diabetes, stroke and heart disease. 

Using scales to monitor these metrics can help you identify potential risks, and take action before they become a problem.  

Smart scales are not perfect, and there are question marks about how accurate they actually are. They certainly aren’t as accurate as other ways of measuring your body composition, such as a DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) scan or hydrostatic weighing. 

Every company will have their own proprietary algorithms, and studies have shown that there can be considerable differences in the measurements one set of scales provides compared with another. 

That said, most smart scales do provide accurate weight measurements. The bigger concern is with the effectiveness of bioelectrical impedance analysis, which relies on a small electrical current being passed through your body, and the resistance in your body being measured, and used to calculate your body composition. We explain this in more detail in our guide to how smart scales work. 

To compound this, a variety of factors can influence the readings your body composition scales provide. For instance, when you last went to the bathroom, ate or drank, exercised, and even the ambient temperature, can influence the readings you get. 

Given the questions around the accuracy of body composition metrics, this type of smart scales is best used to provide motivation and encouragement as you go on your fitness journey.

While they may not always be entirely accurate, they do tend to be consistent with themselves. So, if you start noticing a drop in body fat over a period, you can be confident that this probably reflects what’s happening in your body. 

It’s also better to look at trends, rather than individual readings, which will tend to fluctuate a little from day to day.      

Ultimately, weighing in regularly and under the same conditions is the best way to get the most from your smart scales measurements.

If you don’t yet own a set, our guide on things to look for when buying smart scales can help find a set that will be suitable for you.