How to Calculate Results From Skinfold Measurements
Jumping on the scale may not be the best indicator of good health. Normal weight obesity, a phrase coined by Mayo Clinic researchers (Reference 1), means that many normal-weight people are at risk for heart disease and metabolic problems because of high body fat. "The definition of obesity is excess body fat," says Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, a Mayo research team cardiologist. One way to obtain a body-fat estimation is a skinfold test done by a trained professional.
Instructions
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A trained professional will use calipers to measure points on your body and then plug those numbers into an equation that grants an estimation of total body fat. The points on the body to be measured are triceps (on the back of your arm), hip (an inch above the hip bone), stomach (on the side of the bellybutton) and thigh (on the front or middle of the thigh). (Reference 2) There are up to nine points on the body that can be measured, but these are the most common. The exact points to be measured are marked with a pen by a fitness trainer or professional technician.
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Relax your arm and hand with your hand facing forward. The trainer will do a vertical pinch at the ink mark site. He will then release the jaw of the calipers and leave the instrument on the skinfold for four seconds to get a good reading. (Ref. 3) The skinfold thickness will be measured by the calipers and the number recorded by the trainer. Each point will be measured by the trainer and the measurement recorded.
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Add the sums of all the measurements: tricep, stomach, hip and thigh. If you are a male, put your numbers into this body-fat percentage formula:
0.29288(sum of measurements) - 0.0005(sum of measurements)2 + 0.15845(age) - 5.76377
If you are female, your numbers go into this body-fat percentage formula:
0.29669(sum of measurements) - 0.00043(sum of measurements)2 + 0.02963(age) + 1.4072
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Use this formula to compute your fat weight and lean body mass
Your Fat Weight = Bodyfat % x Scale weight
Lean Body Mass = Scale weight -- Fat weight.(Ref. 2)
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Try to do the test weekly. Have the same professional do future skinfold tests and compare the numbers to determine whether your fitness activities are working to reduce body fat. Effective fat-reducing activities are workout sessions that include cardiovascular and weight training. A nutritiously balanced diet that reduces caloric intake is also helpful.
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References
- Photo Credit fat measure image by Kimberly Reinick from Fotolia.com
