The skinfold measurements were put into 4 different equations to calculate body fat percentage (The names above each equation are just the people who developed them)… Body Fat Percentage Using Different Equationsĭifferent equations make a big difference. Skinfolds were taken at 16 locations on John’s body and each skinfold was measured 3 times by an experienced examiner. The results? John had his body fat tested in laboratory conditions using professional body fat calipers. John is one of those people everyone loves to hate… he’s naturally very lean. Still not convinced that using the right equation is that important? Have a look at this real lifeexample… A calculation of 20% could actually mean a body fat percentage of 16 to 24%! Using body fat calipers as a way to determine body fat percentage gives you accuracy to within 4% at best. No equation has ever been written precisely for you… or for your clien – so you will never get truely accurate results. Gender, fitness level, race and the amount of total body fat a person has, all make a difference. Obviously there are more differences than just age… If the skinfold measurements for a young and old person were exactly the same, their body fat percentage would still be considerably different. As we age a greater proportion of our body fat is stored internally. Young people for example, store about one half of their body fat under the skin. Well, each equation relates to different populations of people with different characteristics. Why are there over one hundred equations? Use the wrong equation and body fat calipers become next to useless for predicting body fat percentage. There are over 100 equations you could use! What’s more… Putting those measurements into a formula to calculate body fat percentage. You now have a representation of that person’s subcutaneous (under skin) fat. Imagine you have just taken 4 skinfold measurements with your body fat calipers. As long as you can use them to monitor your own progress or a clients progress accurately, over time, that’s all that matters. All things considered…īody fat calipers won’t measure your body fat to point 7 of a percent. Point 7 of a percent! How did they manage that? Even hydrostatic weighing is only accurate to within 2-3%. Don’t worry though, there’s a lot you can do to make body fat calipers considerably more reliable and accurate. And as you’ll soon see small errors can make a big difference to your outcome. There is a great deal of room for errors to creep in. The point to remember is…īody fat calipers do not measure your body fat percentage directly. The examiner then puts the numbers into an equation to predict body density and body fat percentage. Both have their advantages and disadvantages…įor a detailed look at body fat scales see the body fat scales articleīody fat calipers measure skinfolds to calculate how much subcutaneous fat (fat under the skin) a person has. One thing’s for sure…įor most people there are only two options - a good set of body fat calipers or body fat scales. There are even body fat calipers on the market that allow you to test yourself. Body fat calipers are a fantastic, low cost, portable tool that you can use at your own convenience. It is expensive, inconvenient, often time consuming and hard to find. This will give you the most accuracy but unfortunately… Underwater or hydrostatic weighing is another. What other options do you have for measuring body fat percentage?īody fat scales are one. But just how reliable are body fat calipers? More importantly…Ĭan you do anything to make them more reliable? They are an essential tool that can offer you and your clients an effective measure of progress. For anyone on a weight management program measuring body fat is crucial. Body fat calipers are probably the most popular tool used to assess body fat.
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