Modeled after monitors Tanita developed for the medical
and fitness industries in 1992, the TBF-511 and TBF-515 use the
same revolutionary method of measuring bio electrical impedance
analysis (BIA) that give you a fast, easy, less intrusive, safe,
and accurate way of measuring your body fat.
As simple and easy as stepping on a traditional scale,
Tanita body fat analyzers gives you an accurate reading
of both weight and body fat within 30 seconds.
Tanita's accuracy is within +/-2-3% of DEXA (Dual
Energy X-ray Absorptiometry), the "gold standard" for
body composition measurement, and offers the same accuracy as underwater
weighing.
User Modes
Tanita currently offers three user modes that account
for physiological differences among people (for example, a very
athletic adult will have different body characteristics from
an average person with a fairly sedentary lifestyle). To receive
the most accurate body fat reading, make sure that you choose
the right mode for your body type. If you select the wrong mode,
your reading will be applied to the wrong calibration and could
result in an incorrect body fat reading..
Adult Mode:
For adults aged 18 and older who have moderately active to inactive lifestyles.
Child Mode:
For children up to the age of 18, who are over 3-1/2 feet tall (107 cm), who
have moderately active to inactive lifestyles, and whose bodies are still developing.
Athlete Mode:
Special calibration for very fit adults. Tanita's "athlete" is someone
who gets approximately 10 hours a week of intense physical activity (this can
be exercise, work or leisure related.) "Athletes" also have a resting
heart rate of approximately 60 beats per minute or less. This mode includes people
who have been very fit for years but currently exercise less than 10 hours per
week. It does not include "enthusiastic beginners" who recently started
making a real commitment to exercising at least 10 hours per week but whose bodies
have not yet changed to qualify for the Athlete mode. (Not intended for professional
athletes or bodybuilders)
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Information for Women
Woman have more body fat than men--about five
percent more. By nature, a woman's body is developed to protect
her and a potential fetus. As a result, women have more enzymes
for storing fat and fewer enzymes for burning fat. Additionally,
the estrogen women have activates fat storing enzymes and causes them to
multiply.
Women experience more changes in hydration levels than men because
of their menstrual cycle, and this can affect body fat measuring,
particularly using the BIA method. Retaining fluid may also cause
weight to fluctuate day-to-day during this period causing additional
variation in the body fat percentage.
Female users of BIA products should be aware of their natural
monthly body cycles. To establish a baseline for monitoring body
fat, many women find it useful to chart their readings every
day for a month. Afterward, monitoring at regular intervals can
anticipate monthly fluctuations.
Hormonal changes due to pregnancy or menopause may also cause
water retention and variations in measuring. Changes in hydration
levels can also be due to food, caffeine or alcohol consumption,
strenuous exercise, stress or illness, or the taking of prescription
drugs.
To successfully monitor progress, women should remember to compare
weight and body fat percentage measurements taken under the same
conditions over a period of time. Pay attention to fluctuations
caused by menstruation. And stay within the Women's--not the
Men's--Healthy Body Fat Range!
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Healthy Range Indicator
Automatically compares your body fat reading to the Healthy
Body Fat Range Chart (above).
| Display |
Description |
| - |
Under fat |
| 0 |
Healthy Range |
| + |
Over fat |
| ++ |
Obese |
Daily Caloric Intake Feature
This
helpful feature estimates the amount of calories you can consume
in one day to maintain your current weight. To lose weight, try
consuming less calories than the amount shown.
Weight Recall Feature
By
automatically storing your results, the recall feature can show
you the difference between your current reading and your previous
one. This feature is particularly helpful for users who are on
a diet and/or exercise program.
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Graph Feature
The
graph feature records your body fat percentage each time you
take a reading. It calculates averages for these stored body
fat readings and displays them as graphic bars within the chart
area.
Over time, the graph places the bars in a sequence, making the
elements of a line graph that can show you how your body fat
levels are changing.
The graph calculates all of this automatically, without the
need for you to press any additional buttons - and it's done
in real time, so you'll know instantly if you're on the right
track.
Guest Mode
The guest mode allows you to use the scale without losing information
already assigned to the personal information keys.
Calculates body water levels using bioelectric impedance analysis
(BIA)
Tanita's
patented "foot pad" design sends a low, safe electrical
current through the body to measure its composition. The electrical
current passes more easily through lean muscle than fat. Body composition
is calculated mathematically, based upon the speed at which the
signal passes through the body. 
