Q: Who should not use the Body Composition analyzers, and why?

BIA scans are not recommended for the following groups: Pregnancy, Nursing Mothers - Body composition algorithms are based on "normal" healthy adults. Because body composition for pregnant women and nursing mothers is relatively inconsistent (particularly body water), results should be used for reference only. Prosthetics, Amputation - Measurement current needs to pass through both hands and feet to operate correctly. If subject has amputated limbs or prosthetics, the scan will not function correctly. Embedded Metal - Measurement utilizes electrical conductivity properties of the human body. Metal conductivity is higher than that of body tissue, and may cause inaccurate measurement results.

Question 1

What Is CE MDD Certification?

Accepted Answer

CE MDD stands for Medical Device Directive 2014/31/EU and 93/42/EEC as amended by 2007 / 47 / EC. The Medical Devices Directive covers the regulatory requirements of the European Union for Medical Devices. Compliance with the requirements of the Medical Devices Directive is declared by placing the CE Marking on the product, and supplying the device with a Declaration of Conformity. Charder Medical scales with CE MDD certification will have the applicable marking.

Question 2

Explanation of certificate symbols on label

Accepted Answer

M marking may only be fixed together with the ‘CE’ marking to non-automatic weighing instruments which meet the requirements of the directive 2014/31/EU and 93/42/EEC as amended by 2007/47/EC and which were subject to conformity assessment procedures.
The (III) marking is based on International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) & is identified as Class 3 accuracy. The above mentioned markings are mandatory for EU nations, for other nations these markings are non-mandatory.

Question 3

What is NAWI Certification?

Accepted Answer

NAWI stands for Non-Automatic Weighing Instruments. Weighing instruments used for medical weighing have to comply with the requirements of the NAWI directive 90/384/EEC. The directive is implemented in the UK by the Non-automatic weighing Instruments Regulation 2002. Under these regulations, the design of medical weighing instruments must be approved by a notified body, and all products from the production line must be individually verified for conformity and accuracy by a Trading Standards officer or other approved verifier. Each instrument must be covered by a Declaration of Conformity and bear the "" label indicating conformity with the Directive and the Regulations.

Question 4

What Printers Are Compatible With Charder's Body Composition Analyzers?

Accepted Answer

Charder devices are designed to be compatible with Printers that are PCL5 or above. Compatible printer models from several common printer brands can be found below:

Brother
Canon
Epson
Fujitsu
HP
Kyocera
Ricoh
Xerox

A full list of supported printers from different brands can be found here.

Question 5

How Accurate Are Charder's Body Composition Analyzers?

Accepted Answer

Comparing BIA results for Fat-Free Mass (FFM) to DXA is the most common method for validation of device accuracy. Charder's algorithms have demonstrated a r2=0.987 level of correlation with DXA for whole-body FFM. In addition to whole-body measurements, Charder devices are also specially designed to analyze segmental measurements accurately as well, with r2=0.962 with lower limbs.

Question 6

Who should not use the Body Composition analyzers, and why?

Accepted Answer

BIA scans are not recommended for the following groups:

Pregnancy, Nursing Mothers - Body composition algorithms are based on "normal" healthy adults. Because body composition for pregnant women and nursing mothers is relatively inconsistent (particularly body water), results should be used for reference only.

Prosthetics, Amputation - Measurement current needs to pass through both hands and feet to operate correctly. If subject has amputated limbs or prosthetics, the scan will not function correctly.

Embedded Metal - Measurement utilizes electrical conductivity properties of the human body. Metal conductivity is higher than that of body tissue, and may cause inaccurate measurement results.

Question 7

How often should I perform a Body Composition test?

Accepted Answer

Body composition doesn't change significantly day-to-day. While frequency depends on each individual or program's needs, we generally recommend scanning once every 2 weeks to track and monitor progress.

Question 8

What Should I Do to Ensure I Receive Accurate Results?

Accepted Answer

For best results, we recommend following the guidelines below:

No vigorous exercise - Measure before exercise, not after! Exercise affects circulation and body water, which will affect measurement accuracy.

Use the bathroom - The effect of body waste on electrical conductivity is unknown, and may be interpreted as fat mass.

Avoid food and drink 2 hours before measurement - The effect of food and drink (digested and undigested) on electrical conductivity is unknown, and may be interpreted as fat mass.

Input data correctly - Charder body composition analyzers utilize input data (Height, Age, Gender) and measurement data (Weight, Impedance) to measure body composition. If input is incorrect, interpretation of results will also be inaccurate.

For more information, please consult our full recommendation video guide below!

Question 9

Why Are My Results Different on Other BIA Devices?

Accepted Answer

We do not recommend directly comparing scan results between BIA devices manufactured by different brands. If comparisons must be made, the standard method is to compare your results with those estimated by a "gold standard" device such as DXA.

Both the hardware and software of a BIA device can affect the data used by body composition calculation equations. In addition, each manufacturer uses its own unique algorithms to create proprietary equations, and as such variation between different brands is fairly normal. Therefore, we recommend using your Charder body composition as a baseline measurement, using it to track changes.

Question 10

Why Does the Mat Seem Loose Sometimes? How Durable Is It?

Accepted Answer

The mat wrapped around the device needs to be loose for the weight measurement load cells within the scale to work correctly!
It is made from durable PVC tarpaulin material, and it can be accidentally cut by sharp objects like keys or belt buckles. Please remember to use a slide sheet/board when conducting transfer, which will make transfer easier, and also minimize risk of damage to the mat!

Question 11

Does It Matter Which End the Patient Is Facing?

Accepted Answer

A body outline can be found printed onto the mat. Due to the technical layout of the weight measurement load cells within the device, the patient's head should be placed at the end where the head outline can be seen, with their feet at the other end. Unless height measurement is also needed, the patient's head doesn't need to be exactly within the outline!

If a patient is very tall and their legs exceed the length of the device, the Patient Transfer Scale will still provide an accurate result, so long as their legs aren't resting on or supported by the mattress.

Question 12

How Long Is the Battery Life?

Accepted Answer

Fully charged, you should get approximately 50 hours of battery life.

FAQ