When the holiday festivities are over and January rolls around, people naturally look to improve their health and generally turn to smart devices to get their lifestyle back on track. While weight loss is usually part of that equation, and while smart scales can help, most offerings on the market don’t differentiate it.
Weight and body composition were analyzed de rigueur features these days, but Withings’ Body Scan Connected Health Station aims to go above and beyond the competition by providing almost startling information about your anatomical makeup.
characteristics
At $400 in the US and £350 in the UK, the Withings Body Scan is definitely at the high end of the market for a smart scale. But when you consider the comprehensive set of body measurements, the price is a little easier to swallow. Biometrics include:
- weight
- Metabolic age
- basal metabolic rate
- BMI
- Segmental body structure analysis including:
- Muscle mass (across five regions)
- Fat mass (across five regions)
- bone mass
- Visceral Fat Index
- lean weight
- water mass
- Nerve health
- Pulse wave velocity
- ECG
- Vascular age
- heart palpitations
Connecting via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, the scale feeds all this data into the Withings Health Mate app, which connects to Apple Health or Google Fit to provide a comprehensive hub for everything you do with your body (more on that later). more).
While the scale measures weight with an accuracy of 0.11 pounds (50g) and provides several insightful metrics not found on other scales, its standout feature is segmental body composition analysis. This is made possible by a retractable handle with a series of metal plates on it. Standing on the scale and holding the handle in both hands, the device sends an invisible electrical current through your body and independently analyzes fat and muscle mass for your torso, arms and legs. The idea here is to identify fat and muscle imbalances so you can target your efforts to specific areas of your body that need more work.
A similar technique is also used to measure arterial stiffness, by tracking how long it takes for the heart to beat as a wave in the blood reaches the extremities – a measurement Withings calls pulse wave velocity (PWV). The retractable handle also includes a 6-lead ECG that, like the Apple Watch, can detect AFib, the most common cardiac rhythm disturbance that can lead to stroke and heart failure.
Due to different clinical regulatory barriers based on region, there are some differences between body scans sold in the United States and models available in the European Union.
The US version has an electrodermal activity (EDA) score. This biomarker measures and evaluates the activity of the sweat glands on the soles of your feet. According to Withings, the EDA score can provide care teams with insight into a patient’s stress levels, eating habits and overall health. Meanwhile, the EU version tracks nerve health by providing a nerve health score, which can help identify symptoms of peripheral autonomic neuropathy, small nerve damage, one of the more common complications of diabetes, and other common chronic conditions.
design and performance
The Body Scan’s design is robust and visually aggressive, combining a smooth striped tempered glass surface with a durable plastic base. However, measuring approximately 12.5 x 14 inches, it’s larger than most smart scales and quite a bit heavier. It lacks non-slip feet on the base, so it’s probably not suitable for ultra-smooth floors. The scale interface features a large, vivid color display that is easy to read from a standing height.
Body Scan’s initial setup process is user-friendly and quite intuitive. After charging the scale via the supplied USB-C cable and downloading the Withings Health Mate app to your phone, pairing the scale is generally easy, though it can be subject to the usual Wi-Fi connectivity challenges, such as signal strength and interference, so make sure your You have coverage in the bathroom or wherever you plan to keep it.
To perform a body scan, you need to stand on the scale barefoot and grasp the handle with both hands. This allows the scale to perform its comprehensive health check, but a full scan takes about a minute and a half, so there’s some waiting. If you leave early, you’ll still get your weight and other standard biometrics, but things like pulse velocity and segmental body composition analysis will usually fail. Fortunately, the app lets you customize which health metrics are recorded and displayed on the scale’s screen, so you can tailor the experience to your own needs.
The scale can support up to eight individual user profiles, making it suitable for family use. However, its user identification system isn’t foolproof and can sometimes misidentify a user standing over it, especially if two people in your family weigh the same. Fortunately, the scale has a neat solution that usually works – if you’re not sure who you are, it’ll show you each family member’s profile as a list, which you can scroll through, balancing the footer in the direction you want to scroll.
There are several other notable features that can be attractive to different members of a family. An eyes-closed mode hides the numbers from the scale screen during weighing, offering motivational messages instead, while a baby mode will give you an accurate weight of your child simply by holding them in your arms and stepping on the scale. There is also a pregnancy mode and an athletic mode to track health with different measurement algorithms.
All of these apps are customizable, which are generally well-designed and intuitive. It includes a visual 3D map of your segmented body composition (which tells you if you’re in or out of a normal range compared to other users like you), trending graphs of several metrics like weight and BMI, and your weekly and your weekly and based Actionable health insights. Monthly trends. It allows you to export a health report PDF for a healthcare specialist or personal trainer.
The app is definitely aiming to be more than just a scale accessory and will also track your physical activity and sleep. It suggests long-term goals, challenges and reminders to continue healthy habits. The optional Withings+ subscription ($10/month) goes further by offering programs and workouts, but if you’re not invested in the Withings ecosystem, much can already be accomplished with the Apple Watch and Fitness+.
Last thought
Priced significantly higher than many smart scales on the market, the Withings Body Scan represents a substantial investment compared to other smart devices. It costs nearly twice as much as Withing’s next-most-expensive model, but roughly reflects the depth and breadth of health data it provides. For readings I could compare to another smart scale, the body scan appeared accurate over time, although it was worth noting that at times the fat mass measurement on its body segmentation scan seemed unrealistically low, and I had to retake the scan once or twice to get an accurate one. to get read
Overall, its ability to provide detailed insights into various health aspects will make it particularly attractive to health enthusiasts and anyone closely monitoring specific health conditions. That said, if you want to track your weight and general body composition from a smart scale, there are plenty of other inexpensive options.
Available on both Amazon (UK) and the Withings website, the FDA-clear Withings Body Scan Connected Health Station is available in a white or black finish and costs $399.99 (£349.99).
Note: Withings provided MacRumors with a body scan scale for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
