Your Galaxy Watch can provide a complete picture of your body composition
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and its predecessor are among the best Android smartwatches on the market. In addition to their excellent performance and features, these wearables can track all your important health metrics. Compared to the competition, Samsung’s Wear OS 3 smartwatches also have a BIA (Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis) sensor that allows them to measure your body composition, including body fat percentage and skeletal muscle mass.
If you’ve recently purchased your Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 or Watch 5 Series and want to get the most out of it, we’re here to help. This is how you use the smartwatch to measure your body composition.
What metrics does Samsung’s body composition measure?
The Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) sensor on the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 5 can measure your skeletal muscle, fat mass, body fat percentage, Body Mass Index (BMI), body water and basal metabolic rate (BMR). This gives a more holistic view of your health relative to BMI. The sensor cannot measure your weight, so you must enter it manually before starting the measurement process.
Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) is the gold standard for measuring body composition. A joint study by Louisiana State University, Pennington Research Center, and the University of Hawaii Cancer Center found that Samsung’s BIA sensor provides consistent, but slightly less accurate, measurements than measurements using DXA and lab-grade octapolar bioelectrical impedance measurements. Samsung Galaxy smartwatches are not medical devices and your measurements may vary based on how you wear your device.
Samsung Galaxy Watch owners can use the data to better understand their health and monitor their key stats, even if they don’t have access to proper medical equipment. While Samsung’s BIA sensor is slightly less accurate than measurements taken in a medical facility, it should provide consistent data if you wear your smartwatch properly.
Ideally, you should measure your body composition first thing in the morning on an empty stomach before engaging in physical activity to get the most accurate readings.
Which Samsung smartwatches can measure your body composition?
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 5 lineup features a BIA sensor that measures your body composition.
This feature is not associated with Samsung’s Galaxy phones. You can use it even if the watch is paired with a non-Samsung phone.
How to measure your body composition with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 or Galaxy Watch 5
While Samsung’s body composition feature is a great way to monitor your health and fitness data, some people shouldn’t use this feature. Read and follow Sasmsung’s recommendations before getting started with body composition analysis on your Galaxy Watch 4 or Watch 5.
- Do not use the feature if you have a pacemaker or similar device implanted in your body.
- Pregnant people are not allowed to use the function.
- The measurements may be inaccurate for people under the age of 20.
You cannot start the body composition measurement process with the Galaxy Watch 4 or Watch 5 from your phone. You must use the smartwatch.
- Swipe up on your Galaxy Watch’s screen to open the app drawer.
- Open the Samsung Health app.
- Scroll down and tap the Body composition option.
- Crane To measure to start the measuring process. If you have previously measured your body composition, the readings will be listed here.
- The first time you use the feature, select your gender and enter your height and weight.
- A guide instructs you to place your fingers on the watch. Place your middle and ring fingers on the two physical buttons on the right side of the watch.
- Check that your fingers are touching the keys and not touching your hands.
- Swipe right and tap OK to start the body composition measurement process.
- Remain still during the measuring process, which takes about 15 seconds. Do not come into contact with any object during this period.
If the measuring process fails, moisten your fingers and try again.
It is essential to place your Galaxy Watch 4 or Watch 5 correctly on your wrist for a correct reading. To do this, place the watch higher on your wrist. Also raise your arms so that they are away from your body and not touching any part.
You can view the results on the watch or your smartphone from the Samsung Health app. Over time, the app will display a graph of how your readings have changed.
Get to know your Samsung Galaxy smartwatch
Samsung’s Wear OS 3-based Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 5 are a step up from the previous Tizen-based offerings. Body composition analysis is one of the many functions they contain. Check out our favorite Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 tips and tricks to get the most out of your wearable. You can also control your Android smartphone with your Galaxy Watch.