Can a weight scale accurately give you your Body Mass Index? (BMI) And how does that work?

Which is more accurate a trainer that uses devices for lack of better word pinch your fat, or a weight scale that gives you your weight and BMI?

Public Comments

1. The "pinch" is better aka fat caliper. Scales cant tell the difference between body fat, muscle, or water weight
2. Body Mass Index is (basically) the ratio of your weight to you height squared, so if you program your height into your scale, it can give your BMI using one of these formulas: http://www.build-muscle-and-burn-fat.com/BMI-formula.html It is used by doctors to asses overall physical fitness. However, it should not be used alone since it tells you nothing about your level of body fat. Athletes and bodybuilders for example are often categorized as overweight or obese using the BMI, but obviously they are very low in body fat. Therefore, you should look at your body fat percentage as well in order to determine your overall fitness level. You can do that with the skin calipers (the pinching things) or you can use this calculator to get a quick estimate: http://www.build-muscle-and-burn-fat.com/body-fat-calculator.html I personally prefer body fat percentage as my measure of success.