Withings introduces Body Comp scale with Health+ service
Withings unveiled a brand new product at IFA in the form of the Body Comp scale. However, the new health service that the company also revealed is probably more exciting than the included hardware. Together with the new scale, Health+ intends to take the possibility of body analysis to a whole new level.
TL;DR
- Body Comp is the first personal scale to measure body fat, visceral fat, vascular age, and nerve health in just one device.
- The scale will be available from October 4, 2022, at $209.95.
- Also free is a 12-month subscription to the premium Health+ service which was also unveiled.
Withings is an old hand when it comes to smart scales. The company introduced its first model back in 2009. At the beginning of 2022, it followed up with the Withings Body Scan. Now, at the IFA, Withings wants to raise the bar a little bit higher with its new scale with the help of the Health+ service. We bring you details on both the scale and the service.
Body Comp: Body analysis redefined
You probably know that the data measured on Withings scales has long gone beyond weight and body fat percentage. Now Withings is going one step further and measuring biomarkers with the Body Comp that you would normally only discover from a professional hospital environment. What do we mean by this? Withings revealed in its press release:
Body Comp from WITHINGS is the first personal scale to measure body fat, visceral fat (which accumulates around the abdominal organs), vascular age (the elasticity of blood vessels) and nerve activity (the functioning of nerves in the feet) in a single device.
Furthermore, the scale can also be used to evaluate cardiovascular health and nerve activity. This allows you to see that the body analysis is very comprehensive in its work. We'll list all the recorded biomarkers:
- Complete body composition (weight, muscle mass, fat mass, water percentage, bone mass, BMI, and for the very first time, visceral fat).
- Cardiovascular system assessment (standing heart rate, vascular age).
- Evaluation of nerve activity (Nerve Health Score, calculated from electrochemical skin conductivity).
If you want to buy this professional body analysis scale, you can do so from October 4, 2022, at a price of $209.95. This will also include a free subscription to the Health+ service for 12 months.
Health+: With this service, Withings wants to improve your overall health
You may already be familiar with the Health Mate app from Withings. Health+ is a new service that unlocks additional functions in this app for a subscription. At best, you should not just receive a mountain of additional data about your body, but also learn to understand it better. The tools and actionable insights are also joined by motivational elements. In this way, you'll be gently nudged in a certain direction where you'll be empowered to change your lifestyle for the better.
Withings uses a structure consisting of the four elements: "Measure, Act, Improve and Repeat". Of course, you can also track your food or your sleep, but the analysis of your body goes much deeper than that. What is measured with the help of the Body Comp scale is supposed to enable healthier lifestyle habits for you through the evaluation.
Under "Action", Withings tells us that you will be given 6-week modules to help you reach your fitness goals. Health+ supports you with workout videos and plans, nutrition tips, recipes, and exclusive educational content written and curated by doctors.
Weekly interactive reports neatly list and break down these changes so you can immediately see for yourself, if and how your body has improved. In addition, there are monthly reports that you can present to your doctors.
Then there's a gamification element thrown into the mix. Celebrating individual milestones is just one of many motivational tricks that Health+ uses to keep you on your toes. Withings focuses on a very important point that I know for myself: You know exactly what you have to do, but you still don't stick with it. That's what Health+ wants to prevent.
Unfortunately, the Body Comp scale is the only Withings product that supports Health+ for now, but other devices will of course follow in the future. As already mentioned, you can use the service for free for one year when you buy the scale. Withings has not yet revealed how expensive the service will be after that.
