Owners manual

3. Why is it important to monitor percentage Total Body Water (%TBW) in the body?

Water is an essential component of the body and its level is one of the health indicators.

Water makes up approximately between 50-70% of the body’s weight. It is present

proportionally more in lean tissue compared to fat tissue. Water is a medium for

biochemical reactions that regulate body functions. Waste products are carried in water

from cells for execution in urine and sweat. Water provides form to cells; helps to maintain

body temperature; provides moisture to skin and mucosa; cushions vital organs; lubricates

joints and is a component of many body fluids. The amount of water in the body fluctuates

with the hydration level of the body and state of health. Monitoring the level of body water

can be a useful tool for one’s health maintenance. Similar to body fat estimation, the %TBW

function provided in this scale is based on BIA.

The estimated %TBW may vary according to your hydration level, that is, how much water you

drank or how much you have sweat you have expelled immediately prior to the estimation.

For better accuracy, avoid fluctuation in hydration level prior to the estimation. The accuracy

of the scale in estimating %TBW will also decrease with individuals suffering from diseases

that tend to accumulate water in the body.

The optimal %TBW of an individual varies according to age and gender.

The table as follows may be used as a guide:

(Source: University of Illinois Medical Center, Chicago, USA)

Please be reminded that the %TBW estimated with the scale represents only a good

approximation of your TBW. There are clinical methods of estimating total body water

that can be ordered by your physician.

4. When should I use the scale’s Body Fat and total Body Water functions?

For maximum accuracy, it is recommended that the scale’s body fat and total body water

functions be used at approximately the same time of the day, e.g. before breakfast in the

morning. It is also a good practice to avoid swings in hydration level of the body prior to the

measurement. Establishing your own baseline value of %BF and %TBW to track your changes is

better than comparing your %BF and %TBW value to the population’s normal value.

%BF Range Optimal % TBW Range

Men

4 to 14% 70 to 63%

15 to 21% 63 to 58%

22 to 24% 58 to 56%

25 to 60% 56 to 29%

Women

4 to 20% 70 to 59%

21 to 29% 59 to 52%

30 to 32% 52 to 50%

33 to 60% 50 to 29%