Product Review: Homedics 475 Digital Scale

As a bride-to-be, I was showered with many gifts to fill a home this past month. Little by little, my fiancé (let’s call him Mr. FoodieforLife) and I, have been slowly but surely opening each gift and putting it to use. Yesterday, we opened our digital scale as we were curious how much we weighed…with a wedding coming up in less than 30 days, we’ve been trying to lose some extra pounds.

Mr. FoodieforLife and I were extra satisfied with the product. Not only is it decorative for any bathroom as it looks like a stone tile, it is light weight for transport. Another great feature about this digital scale is that you can easily convert pounds to kilograms with a flick of a switch, although, as a dietitian, I learned how to calculate this with a simple formula. (If anyone was wondering how to do this, simply divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 to get your weight in kilograms—pretty simple. Here’s an example: 125 pounds/ 2.2 = 57 kg rounded up). This scale has a ten year limited warranty. It also comes with information on reaching your target weight and assessing your weight using a body mass index chart. Body mass index is a measurement dietitian’s use to assess patient’s weight relevant to their height. The body mass index can tell you if you are underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese, or even morbidly obese all relevant to an individual’s height. One limitation to consider with body mass index is that it is not always completely accurate. It can overestimate body fat in people who are very muscular, and it can underestimate body fat in people who have lost muscle mass, such as in the elderly. Want to know how to determine your body mass index (BMI)??

BMI= Weight (kg)/Ht² (meters) 

Example: 145 pounds/2.2 = 66 kg; 

64 inches (height) x 2.54 = 162.56 ---convert this to meters simply by moving the decimal = 1.6256

66kg/1.6256/1.6256 = 24.9 BMI (indicates normal weight)

How to assess the results:

BMI less than 18.5 = underweight

BMI 18.5-24.9 = normal weight

BMI 25.0-29.9 = overweight

BMI 30.0-39.9 = Obese

BMI greater than 40 = morbidly obese

*One limitation to this digital scale is that it uses a lithium battery. I foresee having to replace it often in the future.