(3/22/99)

They are the latest in the body fat versus weight war: Scales that are supposed to measure how much of your body is actually fat. Do they work? News Specialist Lisa Coneley takes a look.

George Kovacik wants to get fit. He says, "I usually just go by how the clothes feel and how I feel really. Weight does matter, but I've never cared about body fat because I've always had it."

We all need some percentage of fat on our bodies to supply our organs. However, having too much can increase your risk for for cardiovascular disease and other health-related problems.

Dr. Kenneth Ellis, of Baylor pediatric nutrition, says, "Between 18-25 percent is considered normal. Above 25 and you're at risk, and if you get above 30 percent body fat, then you're considered an extreme risk or much higher risk."

Compared to state of the art equipment-- how does the fat scale measure up?

Sonia Davis, who also wants to get fit, says, "They all varied. I think it was a big variance between the Body Pod and the actual scale."

The Bod Pod is the newest way to measure body fat, similar to underwater weighing.

But it's the Dexa that gives the most accurate reading.

Dr. Ellis says, "We can determine how much fat is in the body and how much lean tissue. That particular device has a great advantage if it tells us where it's distributed in the body. You actually get an image from the head to toe."