Relying solely on the Amazon Body Fat Analyzer could put your health and body at serious risks. Despite validation studies verified by Amazon itself, reports are coming in that the Body Fat Analyzer app does not accurately measure your body fat. Instead, it creates a fallacious image of your ideal body image.
The Amazon Body Fat Analyzer app is generally paired up with the Amazon Halo Band. To use them, you need to submit four pictures of your body from different angles. The app then uses a Body feature that recreates your body in a 3D model image and provides a slider tool that lets you observe your body shape change based on fat percentage. Lastly, you'll have to wear the Halo Band daily, so the band could measure your muscle activities and calculate new changes in your body.
Ideally, it seems like an effective solution to quickly and accurately monitor your health and body changes. However, user reviews on the product say otherwise.
Amazon Body Fat Analyzer App Review
Caitlin McGarry from Gizmodo put the Amazon Fitness Tracker to the test, and unfortunately, results for her are entirely inaccurate. First, the 3D model of her body does not resemble her original shape. Also, the Amazon Halo band reports that her body fat reaches up to 40 percent and indicates that she has a "too high" risk for heart disease.
Using the 3D model image slider tool, the app recommended reducing up to 13% body fat to achieve the six-pack abs. Note, however, that 13 percent of body fat is on the extreme end of the fitness spectrum. For reference, elite athletes have around six to 12 percent body fat. So, in a nutshell, the app tells you to work hard enough to compete against people who spent their professional life training in the gym!
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The Amazon Body Fat Analyzer app puts all its emphasis on an inaccurate and idealized image render of your body. It pushes you to achieve a perfect body image when in truth, health and body figure are affected by a lot of different factors aside from body fat.
Gizmodo added that the body scan does not differentiate the subcutaneous fat and the visceral fat. The former is relatively harmless and actually serves as the body's protection, while the latter is directly involved with many vital organs like the liver, pancreas and intestines.
By recreating a "good" image with a six-pack and a "bad" image with disproportionate and inaccurate fat measurements, the Body Fat Analyzer app could easily trigger body dysmorphia and disordered eating. The app gives an unrealistic standard of a healthy image for the person, per Gizmodo.
Remember that Amazon itself created the validation study for the Health & Wellness band. Validation studies funded by the company that made the product should often be taken with a grain of salt. Amazon Body Fat Analyzer app offers a convenient way to monitor your health. However, it would be best to consult with a professional nutritionist for an accurate reading of your body fat.
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