Comments on: Bod Pod: Worthless in the Hands of a Boob

By: RoyH

RoyH — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 22:00:00 +0000

Hello, everyone! I wanted to join this discussion because I feel that I can assist one way or the other with this subject. I apologize for the lengthy post. First, let me give a little background on myself since none of you know me. I’ve been an active duty Marine for 10 years and am a training partner for two world record holding power lifters. I’m a certified Marine Corps Martial Arts Instructor/Trainer and currently attend Ohio State University in the Kinesiology program.
Today I had the privilege of having 4 different body composition tests done. I am 70″ and weighed 198 lbs. this morning. First, we did Skinfolds which put me at 15.4%. That measurement seemed realistic based off of my activity level and type of training in comparison to my diet. Second, we did girths which put me at 23.9%. Girths are well known for being inaccurate, especially on particularly muscular people. Third, we did the Bod Pod at 19.1% This also seemed high based off of the above reasons. Finally, we did the Under Water Weighing. UWW had me at 14.5%. This seemed feasible based off of the above reasoning as well.
Yesterday morning, I ran the same test on one of our varsity swimmers. He is 76″ and weighed at 195.7 lbs. Skinfold = 12.5%, Girth = 19%, Bod Pod = 14.4%, and UWW = 12.3%.
This morning, I ran the tests again on a female subject. She is 65″ and 128 lbs. Skinfolds = 16.5%, Girths = 22.3%, Bod Pod = 22.8%, and UWW = 21.5%.
The Bod Pod seemed really inaccurate the more muscular the person. First, myself having the highest Bod Pod %, then the male swimmer, and finally the female.
Based off of these examples, it seems that the Bod Pod has similar problems as the girth method. One reason for this, could be that the Bod Pod is programmed to estimate thoracic volume based off of height and weight instead of calculating it with Forced Vital Capacity (FVC). If this were true, an average sized individual might get a closer to true result from the Bod Pod compared to larger individuals such as a power lifter, division 1 swimmer, and more average slightly athletic female.
The second reason that the Bod Pod may have an issue is that it computes BF% from one of two set equations. The Siri equation (for average sized people) and Brozek equation (for unusually small or large people). The equation used is selected based on the opinion of the technician running the Bod Pod. If the technician selects the wrong equation, it will produce completely off the wall results. (Such as the difference between Mike’s 33% and 45% or worse)
Let me know what you think about this. I know some of these posts are really old. However, I came across this today (6-10-2014) in search of comparisons of Bod Pod to UWW based off of what I have observed in the lab for my Body Comp Eval class.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 18:45:00 +0000

In reply to Shellkay1212.

Thanks for the comment! Since posting this I’ve actually had a researcher, who has a Bod Pod in her lab, tell me that you have to be extremely careful with them. They are very accurate if calibrated properly, but even a simple bump, such as when you are cleaning the room can mess up the calibration. So, obviously you really need to know what you are doing to administer the test accurately.

I’ll just be sticking with the hydrostatic weighing from now on.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 18:40:25 +0000

In reply to Shellkay1212.

Thanks for the comment! Since posting this I’ve actually had a researcher, who has a Bod Pod in her lab, tell me that you have to be extremely careful with them. They are very accurate if calibrated properly, but even a simple bump, such as when you are cleaning the room, can mess up the calibration. So, obviously you really need to know what you are doing to administer the test properly.

I’ll just be sticking with the hydrostatic weighing from now on.

By: Shellkay1212

Shellkay1212 — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:02:00 +0000

THANK YOU for posting! I had a bod pod done 3 months ago. The same week I started working with a trainer and after I had lost 45 pound without any strength training to speak of. It measured me at 40% fat, and 115 pounds of non-fat.

I had one yesterday – after strength training with a personal trainer for 3 months. A hard core, no-nonsense, no pussy footing around trainer. Ex-NFL linemen..no kidding around here. I now have biceps and triceps that you can actually see. Not to mention quads that have never been stronger.

Anyway, yesterday. I had the BP and it showed I lost 9 pounds of MUSCLE and my fat is now 44%. WHAT!? After talking to the kid administering the test who ranged from ‘it’s the most accurate test next to the water test’ and ‘it could be 2-3% off’… he said I ‘should just use this as motivation’. He also said the results made no sense.

SO FRUSTRATED

By: vanessa

vanessa — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 22:48:41 +0000

Mike, I’m so glad I found your blog. I did the bodpod at the city club yesterday and it measured me at 22.8%. now, that’s not a bad number especially for z woman but I had skin calipers done 4 weeks earlier and was 14% not to mention I’ve been training and dieting for a fitness show since then. I had the skin calipers done again today and I’m at 13.6% about 26 hours after the bodpod. I’m leaning toward the calipers as more accurate especially considering my abs are visible as are my I guinal lymph nodes and I van see striations in my upper body…. Have you found out anymore info about the bodpod since your test?

By: Kelly Raudenbush

Kelly Raudenbush — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 22:44:32 +0000

I have never heard of these tests—wow. Pretty big screw up by the boob at the bod pod!

By: Tricia

Tricia — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 04:14:31 +0000

That’s great news! And so interesting. I had no idea all of these things existed!

By: Louanne

Louanne — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 21:14:53 +0000

Well I am definitely going back for the free retest on the bod pod since it had me at 38% body fat. I don’t expect it to be off 12% like Mike’s but when he did the skin fold on me it was 31 -33%.

As of today I am down 15 pounds and want to get down another 15.

And as Mike said there is no way I am doing that under water thing. I started to panic just taking the photos of him. Whew!