What is BIA (Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis)?

Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis, also known as BIA, is a simple, fast, and non-invasive way of estimating body composition. Body composition describes the percentages of tissues in the body like fat, bone and muscle.

BIA works by sending a low-level electrical current through the body. Different types of tissues in the body conduct electricity at different speeds. Tissues in the body that have high water and electrolyte content like muscle are good at conducting electricity. Fat tissue, however, prevents or impedes electrical current. 

A BIA device measures your body’s overall resistance to electrical current. Based on that as well as other information like your height and sex, it can estimate metrics like total body fat and lean body mass.

When you use your Teladoc Health WM2000 weight scale for the first time, the app will ask you if you’d like to turn on body composition mode. This is the setting that allows the scale to measure using BIA. We recommend that most people opt in! Body composition mode can give you valuable insights into your health trends.

There are a few categories of people, however, who should keep body composition mode off:

• Those with an implanted electronic device, like a pacemaker 

• Individuals who are pregnant

The manufacturer of the Teladoc Health WM2000 weight scale has not tested or approved the scale for use in the above groups. If you have already turned body composition mode on, you can deactivate at any time in the app’s settings. 

Questions about whether BIA is right for you? Contact your care provider to learn more.