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Skinfolds

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Definitions and Illustrations of Skinfold Sites:


Technique
  1. All measurements will be taken on the right side of the body.
  2. All measurements should taken at least twice, but no more than three times.
  3. Take a third measurement if the first two are not within 2%
  4. For data reduction:


    5.
    1. If two skinfolds are taken, average the two.
    2. If three skinfolds are taken, and two are within 2%, average those two.
    3. If three skinfolds are taken and all demonstrate equal variance, average the three.

  5. To take the measurement, grasp the skinfold between the thumb and forefinger of your left hand with the thumb pointed down. The skinfold should include two thicknesses of skin and subcutaneous fat. NO muscle.

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  6. Apply the calipers perpendicular to the fold, approximately 1 cm (¼ to ½ inch) below the fingers holding the skinfold, at a depth equal to the thickness of the fold. Click on the quicktime movie below to see the technique.


  7. Gently release the thumb grip on the caliper. Take the reading at the point where the needle slows (fat is being compressed after this time). Watch the quicktime movie of the needle. The correct reading of this measurement is 12.0 where the needle slows down. Not 10.0 where
    8.  the needle stops.

Skinfolds:

Cheek
      A vertical fold midway between the horizontal line from the corner of the mouth to the bottom of the ear.

Chin
      A vertical fold between the mandibles on the vertical line running from the chin to the adam's apple.
Biceps
      The site is located on the front of the right upper arm over the prominence of the biceps. The arm hangs freely in a supine position and the skinfold is lifted parallel to its long axis.

Triceps
      A vertical fold on the posterior midline of the upper arm (over triceps muscle), halfway between the acromion and olecranon processes; the elbow should be extended and relaxed.

Subscapular
      A fold taken on a diagonal line coming from the vertebral border to 1 to 2 cm from the inferior angle of the scapula.

Pectoral
     A diagonal fold taken one-half of the distance between the anterior axillary line and nipple for men, and one-third of the distance from the anterior axillary line for women (called chest by Pollock et al., 1980).

Mid-axillary
      The site located on the mid-axillary line on the right side at the level of the xiphoid. The skinfold is picked up along the line of the rib, this is a vertical fold.

Suprailiac
      The site is located immediately above the crest of the right ilium. The thumb is placed over the iliac crest, and the fold lifted medial to the midline, at a slight angle to the vertical along the normal fold line (called suprailiac by Yuhasz, 1974).

Abdominal
      A vertical fold taken at a lateral distance of approximately 2 cm from the umbilicus, on the right side.

Supraspinale
      The fold is picked up 5-7 cm above the anterior superior iliac spine on a line to the anterior axillary border and on a diagonal line going downwards and inward at 45. Site is found right after iliac bone drops down (called anterior suprailiac in Carter, 1982).

Front thigh
      A vertical fold on the anterior aspect of the thigh, midway between hip and knee joints.

Medial calf
      The skinfold is picked up at the level of the maximal circumference of the calf, on the medial (inner) border of the leg.



Knee.
      The leg is held in the same position as the front thigh measurement. 2 cm. above and at mid-point from the patella.



aYuhasz, 1974
bPollock, et al., 1980

This page was last updated 18 March 2003
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