Measuring body fat is important for determining overall fitness. Weight alone is not a clear indicator of good health because it does not distinguish between pounds that come from body fat and those that come from lean body mass or muscle. Carrying too much fat is a condition called obesity, and puts a person at risk for many serious medical conditions including heart disease, diabetes and even certain forms of cancer. Tanita's patented "foot pad" electrode design uses Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) to determine body fat.