While there are many companies vying for the top spot in the health technology space, Samsung remains a major player and continues to introduce new technology into its premium smartwatch lineup that can help you keep track of your weight loss and fitness goals. A prime example of this innovation is Samsung's BioActive Sensor. Let's look at how this technology works and how you can use it to improve your health.

How Does Samsung's BioActive Sensor Work?

The Samsung Galaxy Watch4, Galaxy Watch5, and Galaxy Watch5 Pro all come equipped with the company's BioActive sensor. This sensor differs from other devices on the market by using a single computer chip that combines three health sensors: Optical Heart Rate, Electrical Heart Signal, and Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis.

Using these health measurements, the sensor allows Samsung smart devices to deliver health-related information including your heart rate, blood oxygen level, stress level, and even a sleep score.

Most fitness trackers and smartphones feature a pedometer for counting steps (most people take this feature for granted), and many devices including the Apple Watch can measure your heart rate, sleep habits, and other metrics (these features are also not new). However, the BioActive Sensor can also accurately measure your body composition.

What is body composition? In basic terms, your body composition is the ratio of fat to muscle in your body. Samsung Galaxy Watch devices equipped with the BioActive Sensor offer real-time body composition measurements by using advanced Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis, a medical technique for measuring the electrical conductivity of human tissues.

Why does measuring body composition matter? According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, body composition is one of the most important metrics for overall physical fitness in athletes. For instance, people with more muscle mass are likely to be better at some sports (e.g. basketball and swimming), while those with less muscle mass are likely to be better at others (e.g. soccer and cycling).

The BioActive Sensor sends micro-currents through your body to measure the composition of matter in the body, including the amount of muscle, fat, and water. These signals encounter resistance when passing through fat tissues, and by measuring this resistance, the BioActive sensor can calculate your precise body composition.

An analysis of your body's composition correlates with your physiological well-being. For example, high body fat is one of the leading reasons people develop preventable illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

According to this article by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the ideal body composition for men and women varies with age. That's why ongoing body composition analysis using the BioActive Sensor can be a valuable tool for monitoring your lifestyle and improving your habits.

If you're an athlete, you'll find the data from the BioActive Sensor especially useful because it will help you plan and measure the impact of your nutrition and exercise routines and reach the next level of athletic performance.

How to Use the BioActive Sensor on Samsung Galaxy Watches

The Samsung smartwatches that come with the BioActive Sensor make it incredibly easy to track your fitness goals. You can set up personal targets, get tips and suggestions on what you can do to improve your health, and see how you're progressing toward your goals.

To conduct a Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (which is how you measure BMI) using a Galaxy Watch device, all you need to do is hold the side buttons on the watch with two of your fingers for 15 seconds. That's it. You can access your results on the smartwatch as well as through Samsung Health, the company's smartphone app designed to help you track your health and wellness goals.

Once you download and install the Samsung Health app on your smartwatch, simply set up your health profile to receive personalized health suggestions, keep track of your daily exercise habits, and set up nutrition and fitness targets.

Remember, even though the BioActive Sensor in your smartwatch is doing the measurements, you can always review your stats such as sleep score and other metrics on your phone. One thing to keep in mind is that in order to use the BioActive Sensor to track your sleep, you will have to wear your Galaxy Watch device on your wrist while sleeping. That makes it a different experience from using the Amazon Halo Rise contactless sleep tracker but provides more detailed metrics than the Halo Rise can measure.

Download: Samsung Health for Android | iOS (Free)

How Accurate Is the BioActive Sensor?

Heart rate tracking devices have been around for some time, but it's not always clear how they work. Devices that record your heart rate might be useful in providing a ballpark baseline figure, but heart rate tracking apps aren't that accurate when compared with medical devices, especially during exercise. There is no reason to think the BioActive Sensor will provide any more accuracy when it comes to your heart rate.

However, this is what differentiates the BioActive Sensor from other fitness trackers on the market. Research published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that advancements in wearable technologies, such as smartwatches with integrated Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis sensors, can be accurate in measuring body composition, with precision that's comparable to laboratory results.

So, while some of the measurements made by the BioActive Sensor will be similar in accuracy to other fitness devices, you can be confident that the sensor will provide an accurate body composition reading.

Samsung's BioActive Sensor Provides a Unique Smartwatch Capability

The BioActive Sensor provides simple yet powerful measurements and insights that you can use to take control of your health. It can be used by people of any age and fitness level to help shape everyday health and wellness habits and promote positive decisions.

Samsung's body composition measurement sets it apart from competing smartwatches and fitness trackers. If you're looking to understand your health using the latest and most advanced technology, then Samsung's BioActive Sensor might be the best choice for you.