5 Mistakes To Avoid When Investing In A Body Composition Device
In this day and age, we want results fast, the latest technology, the best deal and we want it now! However, large investments for your business need careful consideration. With so many options on the market, it is vital that you do your research. You have put so much time, passion and energy into building your business and we know you don’t want this tarnished. A bad investment can cause unexpected damage to both a brand and reputation. Here are the top 5 mistakes to avoid when investing into a body composition device.
1. Assuming all BIA is the same
It is a common misconception that all BIA devices are the same. Bioelectrical Impedance analysis (BIA) works on the principle that electrical currents travel through the body and different elements (muscle, fat, water etc) have different levels of resistance. This determines your measurements. The resistance is measured as impedance values, which is located on the bottom right hand corner of your result sheet. Although generic BIA devices measure a component of a person’s body, they predominantly rely on their age and gender to form “assumptions” about someone in that demographic, as opposed to fully measuring them. This simply means the data that you have been asked to enter before a scan (age and gender), will determine your body composition measurement. If you were to perform two scans in a row and change that data by using a different age or gender, your scan results would change dramatically compared to your first scan, even though you have not changed at all. Your impedance, which is generally shown in the bottom corner, is still the same, yet the results are totally different.
How can this be?
You are the same person getting on and off, so your measurement shouldn’t change! The reason is that age and gender have been used to assume body composition measurements rather than actually measuring someone individually. Many devices claim using age and gender inputs, make it somehow more precise. However, you can now see this is just marketing hype. Age and gender is only asked on an InBody device to provide guidelines, so you can compare your actual measurements against age and gender suggested normal ranges.
Why does InBody stand out from the crowd?
InBody is unique as it has standalone, patented technology that allows a person to be precisely measured without relying on age and gender assumptions. If you were to do 2,3 or 4 scans in a row, with each time changing your age and gender, your measurement would be the same, as your impedance was the same over this timeframe. Again, you can check this on the bottom right hand corner of the result sheet. It’s really important to grasp this factor so you can be mindful of the damage incorrect scanning would create to your health club, medical facility or personal brand. If the results do not measure what may be obviously happening, eg. someone who has lost body fat and may have even put on muscle, yet the device says the opposite. If you have someone that does not sit within the assumption range on generic devices, the guess becomes particularly problematic as the results may show huge discrepancies. InBody utilises the actual impedance of a person, it’s important that calibration tests are performed. When starting an InBody device each day, it will perform a calibration test, this takes only minutes to complete. You will find when starting a generic device, it turns on straight away as there is no calibration being performed – you do not need calibration if you are utilising a pre-programmed device making assumptions about people.
2. Buying on price not technology
Many devices are marketed claiming that all BIA is the same. The downfall is that you are often led to believe that you can purchase a device for a cheaper price and get the same results. With this marketing tactic, you assume that you can make comparisons between BIA devices, but as demonstrated in the previous point, you simply cannot. If the technology is not the same, then the comparison cannot be drawn and if the only reason you pick a device is based on price, you will be disappointed. We have worked with many different business’ who have bought an inferior device and have been impacted later by the damage it can do to their reputation and credibility. This is often a common occurrence when doing fitness challenges. All participants are scanned at the start of the challenge – this will give you a baseline for your client. At the end of the challenge, you scan your challengers again. Imagine the damage that can be done to your business when a client, who has visibly lost fat and gained muscle, receives a scan from a device that uses age and gender estimations and in turn shown them to hold more fat and lost muscle? With InBody, the reliability is unsurpassed. InBody devices will measure you for you, using patented standalone technology and if you are picking a machine based on price, then you still may not completely understand the difference in technology. Quality costs, but you can be assured that when you purchase a device based on the technology instead of the price, you will not need to endure any further issues down the track.
3. Not doing your research on the science
Many devices claim to have science behind them, but you need to investigate further to ensure that any scientific research is done on their exact product. InBody has hundreds of peer-reviewed and validated studies to authenticate the preciseness that InBody has to offer and as such, you will find InBody being used worldwide by Doctors, Elite Level Universities, Fitness Centres and across many more industries.
4. Checking the companies track record
When making such a large investment into your business, you want to make sure that you go with a company that is well known, respected and reliable.
InBody sells an InBody product – not another product which has been rebranded.
Again, it is so important to do your research – not only on the device you are purchasing but also on the company you are buying from. Have they rebranded? Have they changed names? Do they manufacture their own device and if not, who is the manufacturer?
As a worldwide company found in over 70 countries, InBody has an unsurpassed track record and that’s why you should always do your research on the company you’re buying off – they may not be around next week.
5. Checking where the device is found and what credible companies are using it
As a business, marketing is a great tool to bring product and brand awareness, however as a consumer it is important to see the difference between a quality product and a bit of marketing hype.
You want to make sure that the device you choose crosses a broad spectrum of industries. InBody is well represented in many different areas – from medical, universities, fitness, educational, corporate, government and military organisations while also being used by elite level sporting teams and trainers.
InBody has the scientific backing behind it to be used in an array of different fields. For a device to be used in the medical industry, it needs to meet certain criteria and have the right approvals behind it.
InBody is utilised by a range of reputable companies and organisations including Nasa, Virgin Australia, Warner Brothers Entertainment, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Harvard University, HIIT Station and many more.
All these companies, and many more, have done their research on InBody machines and found that it’s precise and they continue to use these devices over any others.
There are so many factors that you need to consider when it comes to business. When it comes to making decisions, we are often quick to choose based on pricing alone.
It is so important to do your research, do the tests, do the comparisons and make sure you know the ins and outs of the product. You can spend your entire career building your reputation, but it doesn’t take much for all your hard work to come crumbling down. Don’t let this be the reason for you downfall, let us help take your business to the next level.