Samsung introduced its latest wearables — the Galaxy Watch 4 and the Watch 4 Classic alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 3. The Galaxy Watch 4 brings a host of improvements and new features compared to its predecessor. The software is now OneUI Watch based on top of Wear OS 3. This allows users to install more third-party apps from the Play Store. On the health side of things, one of the biggest improvements is the addition of a Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) sensor. This sensor integrates all the vital sensors required to determine different parameters into a single unit. With the BIA sensor on the Galaxy Watch 4, you also get the ability to measure your body composition right on the watch itself.
For health and fitness enthusiasts, this is a big advantage since you would no longer need a dedicated scale to measure things like your BMI, body fat, skeletal muscle, etc. These are features you would find on very few smartwatches or wearables. If you have the Galaxy Watch 4 or the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, here’s how you can use the body composition feature to check the vital aspects of your body in just a few seconds.
Tips to measure Body Composition accurately
Before we get to the steps, there are some pre-requisites to be aware of, or some suggestions that Samsung provides in order to achieve an accurate reading from the Watch. Make sure you follow these tips to ensure the readings you get are precise.
Note: The BIA sensor sends microcurrents to the body to measure certain parameters. While this is safe, it is still advised that pregnant women or individuals with a pacemaker, defibrillator, or any other electronic device inside the body should refrain from measuring their body composition via the Galaxy Watch 4.
- Measure your body compensation at the same time of the day regularly, preferably in the morning to get consistent results.
- Measuring while on an empty stomach and after going to the bathroom is preferred.
- Measuring body composition while menstruating is not recommended.
- Do not perform any rigorous activities or workouts before measuring as it may alter the body temperature.
- Remove metal objects like chains, rings, etc. from your body before measuring.
- Keep your arms at chest level in a way that your armpits do not make contact with your body.
- Make sure that the two fingers used for the measurement do not come in contact with each other or with other parts of the watch.
- Try to remain as stable as possible.
- If your fingers are too dry, you can carry out the measurement by applying toner or lotion to make your skin moist.
- Wipe the sensor area on the rear of the watch before measuring to get accurate results.
The body composition measurement via the Galaxy Watch 4 is only for fitness purposes and to give you a general idea about where you stand. The sensors used are not medical-grade equipment and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition.
How to measure Body Composition on the Galaxy Watch 4
The process of measuring body composition on the Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic is pretty simple and straightforward. It takes just a few seconds to get a reading and this is how you do it –
- Go to the Apps section on your Galaxy Watch 4 and look for the Samsung Health app.
- Open the app and you will see an option that says Body Composition.
- Tap on it and then select Measure. You will now be asked to enter your weight. Confirm once you’ve done that. When measuring body composition for the first time, you will also have to input your height and gender.
- Place your middle finger on the Home key (upper key on the right edge) and ring finger on the Back key (lower key on the right edge). Note that you only have to rest your fingers on the buttons and not physically press them.
- Wait for a few seconds till the measurement is completed and you can then remove your fingers from the watch.
- Once you have the data on the watch’s screen, you can scroll to get further info or check the Samsung Health app on your phone for a detailed report.
That was pretty easy, wasn’t it? In just a few seconds, you’ll get detailed readings about your body fat, the water content in your body, the amount of skeletal muscle, etc. You can keep a track of this data and see how you’ve improved over the course of a few weeks or months and it will also help you adjust your workouts and lifestyle accordingly. You no longer have to carry around a dedicated smart scale to measure your body composition — it’s now as simple as checking the time on your watch!
If you’ve bought the Galaxy Watch 4 or the Watch 4 Classic and are looking to customize it with some nice-looking bands, we have a collection of the best Galaxy Watch 4 bands along with a comparison with the Apple Watch 6 to help you decide which one to get if you’re confused between the two.