Scales
There are many professional and home use scales available to the consumer. These scales provide individuals with accurate weight readings for the purposes of health maintenance, rehabilitation and fitness. They can be used in hospitals, doctors' offices, nursing facilities, fitness centers, or gyms, as well as in home settings.
A National Epidemic
A new study released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that obesity may replace smoking as the number one cause of preventable death in the United States. Bad eating habits and lack of exercise are the leading reasons for the increase in obesity across the nation. There is not one ideal weight that suits each individual. Every person has a different body, and his or her healthy weight will be determined by different factors. It is important to take steps to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Steps to a Healthy Lifestyle
- Determine your healthy weight – Do you need to lose or gain weight?
- Make a plan to reach your goal – How do you get started? Should you keep a food and exercise diary? How do you stay motivated?
- Eat well – How do you determine a balanced diet?
- Stay active – Are you active enough? What do you enjoy doing
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Types of Scales
Choosing a scale comes down to preference. Scales come in different sizes and styles with many different features. There are medical scales and bathroom scales, weighing scales for babies, scales that calculate body mass index, and scales that weigh obese and handicapped individuals.
- Physician Beam Scales: These scales are found in most physicians' offices and provide extremely accurate readings. They measure weight up to 350 pounds in 1/4-pound increments. They include a large, easy-to-read measuring bar with engraved pound increments, making weights easier to read.
- Pediatric/Neonatal Scales: There is a wide range of infant scales with many features and options. They are designed for hospitals, pediatric specialists and neonatal professionals. Their features include automatic milk consumption calculation, repeatable results, and the combination adult/infant conversion.
- Wheelchair Scales: Wheelchair scales allow the physician to easily guide a patient onto a platform to identify the weight. The majority of these scales have a function that allows for the weight to be displayed without including the weight of the chair.
- Body Mass Index Scales: These scales measure body mass index, which is one method that doctors use to determine if an individual is at a healthy weight. The index is thought to be a more accurate indicator of body fat content than the standard height-weight tables that have been in use for more than 30 years.
- High Capacity Scales: These scales have a minimum capacity of 350 to 1000 pounds. There are many styles to choose from, which include heavy-duty platform scales, stand-on doctor scales, and digital column scales.
- Handrail Scales: These scales are designed to give individuals extra stability through the use of handrails.
- Digital Scales: These scales are becoming increasingly popular among physicians. The digital technology offers smaller weight graduations as well as larger weight capacities. Medical scale units and floor medical scales can be easily moved from room to room making these a good option. The price also makes them a great scale for home bathrooms. Most digital scales lay flat and come with an LCD display
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By Heather Brunson
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