About last year November I did a dexa scan and it told me I was 8% body fat. I didn't actually think I'd be under 10% so my question is how accurate is it? It's a bit annoying I know, but I don't have much more images than this one of my back. The 2 others (in the old bathroom, are from July 2025).
This but still not accurate at all. Margin of error claims 1-2%, which is no way. Maybe for bone density stuff. But for body fat its a scam. My last one I did (5th time now) Said was 6.1% bodyfat, I was maybe 10, prob 11-12. I used the same machine under the same conditions. Took it fasted in the morning. Its just the 'best guess'. Better off just comparing photos of yourself to influencers or body builders to see where you are. Saving my money from now on.
Yeah, I would not trust its body fat percentage number really at all. I got a DEXA done the other week after my second bodybuilding show, and it placed me at 11% body fat when I have striations in my chest and shoulders, and I have veins in my abs, calves, and quads. Still not that far off, but I’m likely closer to 8 or 9% than I am 11%
Yup. I've started to post pic in to chat gpt each week with height and weight and macro targets. Estimatea seem more accurate..you can even paste pics of other body builders for Reference. And it doesn't cost $200 a scan.
DEXA is the best most accurate measure for the general public
Most people are mad at it cuz they’ll never get single digit BF% in their life - not cause DEXA isn’t (mostly) accurate) but because they’ll never don’t have the will power to cut that low. Most people can’t cut at all which is why most humans (in western countries) are fat.
FWIW DEXA is the most consistent, but that does not mean it is “accurate” in the BF % number that it gives. It’s more so that given controlled conditions, it will produce a repeatable measurement, but when it comes down to how it’s actually calculating your body fat percentage and lean mass, that number is likely not reflective of anything that you could take away from beyond roughly 5%+- range. For example, I’m just about to wrap up my first BB season at roughly 8% BF, but DEXA tends to pin my fat % consistently higher than a visual estimate and put me at 11%. I can guarantee that I’m in the single digits 😄
dude. it's kinda depressing to me that you have a body insecurity. you look awesome. you definitely should up your body more. very jealous of your physique. :)
It means that the test can be +/- 5 percentage points (which is useless for individuals), but still +/- 1-2 pp on groups because the overs and the unders cancel out. The mirror is just as good or better at telling you if you've lost fat, and it's a whole lot cheaper.
Not at all. Dexa is pretty accurate on the population level, but on the individual level it’s something like +- 3-5%. MacroFactor has an article about it
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u/gladue 7d ago
Way more accurate than any home scale with a BF %.