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Body Fat Percentage... One of The Most Important Indicators of Health and Fitness
Why calculate your body fat percentage on an ongoing basis? To coin a phrase... "What gets measured gets managed". And managing your body fat, not just your weight, has so many benefits...
Whether you're on a weight management program (weight loss or gain), an athlete, or just determined to take care of your health and well being...
Calculating and controlling your body fat percentage will be at the very heart of your success. One thing's for sure...
The Net does NOT need more statistics about the negative consequences of excess body fat. It is littered with them. So... we'll concentrate on the benefits you can gain from determining your body fat percentage on an ongoing basis, starting with...
Weight Management Programs
Are you are on a weight loss or weight gain program? Calculating your body fat percentage before, during and after is THE most important measurement you can take. Here's why... Research shows that many fad diets, with little or no exercise can cause a person to lose as much muscle tissue as fat. What's more...
There is a good chance that this person will return to their pre-diet weight. Only now they gain back more fat and less lean muscle. They are the same weight but they have a higher body fat percentage and less lean muscle mass. The point to remember is...
Weighing scales will not show any of these changes. Measuring body fat percentage will. Measure it and you can manage it. If you notice you are losing considerable lean tissue mass as well as fat you can take appropriate steps to adjust your program.
If you have ever followed a strict exercise and nutrition program you'll understand what a key role motivation plays. As with any fitness test this is one the most powerful qualities of calculating body fat percentage. Imagine this quick example...
Sam follows a proper exercise and nutrition program. After a month or so of dedication and determination she notices her weight has changed only slightly if at all... Arrgh!
Not getting discouraged Sam has her body fat percentage measured...
Before her program Sam weighed 150lbs with a body fat percentage of 30%. After 6 weeks she weighs 148lbs. But her body fat percentage has dropped to 26%. The result?
Over 6.5lbs of highly motivating fat loss! And she has gained 4.5lbs of healthy lean muscle. This situation is so common that you should never gauge the success of a weight loss program with the bathroom scales.
And it's exactly the same for someone on weight gain program... only in reverse. In this case any additional weight should come from lean muscle mass. No way to tell that with the bathroom scales. Plus, what if you're weight stays the same? Maybe you put on 10lbs of muscle while losing 10lbs of fat.
So what other benefits does knowing your body fat percentage give you? Let's look at the long term picture and consider your...
General Health and Well Being
It would be easy to slip into all the negative consequences of excess body fat here. But let's stay on the positive side. Why is calculating body fat percentage so crucial to general health and successful aging?
Studies are showing that a typical person living in the western world steadily loses muscle and gains fat starting at age 20! What does that mean exactly?
Well, even if this person maintains a steady weight throughout their life there's a good chance their body fat percentage is increasing and their lean tissue mass is decreasing.
Traditionally aging and all it's physical frailties was seen as inevitable. Not any more...
Most gerontologists (gerontology is the science of aging) agree that simple lifestyle changes can have a dramatic effect on the aging process. The loss of functional strength, increase in body fat percentage, decrease in bone density, reduction in flexibility and decline in aerobic power are all under our control.
I'm sorry for repeating the phrase but it is so important... "What gets measured gets managed". Measure your body fat percentage regularly and old age won't creep up on you. You'll be able to see, first hand, the changes occurring in your body and, if you choose, you can do something about it.
Before we move on to optimum body fat percentages and the very best ways to measure it, there's one more area affected by your body fat percentage...
Athletic Performance
No doubt about it. Excess body fat hinders sport performance.
Outstanding sports men and women come in all shapes and sizes... even within the same sport. Remember, it's not your weight that matters but your body fat percentage. Here are some of the
reasons why...
Excess body fat is related to injury, non adherence to training and overall reduced athletic performance. A high body fat percentage acts as 'dead weight' reducing speed and efficiency of movement. A high body fat percentage is also detrimental to jumping, agility and endurance activities.
Even those athletes who want to gain weight will harm their performance by increasing body fat too much.
Calculate your body fat percentage and then compare it to other athletes in your sport. It can give you a great indication of whether you could make improvements or not. With that in mind let's check out...
Your Ideal Body Fat Percentage
The absolute perfect body fat percentage does NOT exist. Age and gender make a big contribution to the ideal value, but most importantly...
Everyone is an individual. Some people might feel and perform better at a higher or lower body fat percentage than others of the same age and sex. That's why...
Ranges and guidelines exist. Have a look at the tables below. The first table gives the ideal body fat percentage ranges for the general population. The second table is the average body fat percentage for different athletes. The important thing to remember is...
Anywhere inside the range is good. Staying below the upper limit should be your target but as you'll soon see lower is not necessarily better.
Body Fat Percentage for The Average Population
Age Up to 30 30-50 50+
Females 14-21% 15-23% 16-25%
Males 9-15% 11-17% 12-19%
Average Body Fat Percentage of Athletes
Sport Male Female Sport Male Female
Baseball 12-15% 12-18% Rowing 6-14% 12-18%
Basketball 6-12% 20-27% Shot Putters 16-20% 20-28%
Body building 5-8% 10-15% Skiing (X country) 7-12% 16-22%
Cycling 5-15% 15-20% Sprinters 8-10% 12-20%
Football (Backs) 9-12% No data Swimming 9-12% 14-24%
Football (Linemen) 15-19% No data Tennis 12-16% 16-24%
Gymnastics 5-12% 10-16% Triathlon 5-12% 10-15%
> High/long Jumpers
7-12% 10-18% Volleyball 11-14% 16-25%
Ice/field Hockey 8-15% 12-18% Weightlifters 9-16% No data
Racquetball 8-13% 15-22% Wrestlers 5-16% No data
OK, have you worked out the ideal range for you? Great. You've probably already know the risks associated with falling significantly above the upper limit of this range. But what about the lower end of the scale?
Lower is Not Necessarily Better
A certain amount of body fat is vital for the body to function normally and healthy. In fact striving for a body fat percentage that is too low can be dangerous. Here's why...
Measuring your body fat percentage calculates your TOTAL body fat. This total body fat can be split into 2 categories...
Storage Fat -- This consists mainly of fat deposited just under the skin or subcutaneous fat. Storage fat for men and women is fairly similar. For the average man 12% of bodyweight is storage fat and for the average woman 15% of bodyweight is storage fat.
Essential Body Fat -- For the body to function normally and healthily a certain amount of body fat is required. This is called essential fat. For women the average amount of essential fat is 12% of bodyweight and for men it is 3%.
Trying to achieve a body fat percentage that is so low it affects your essential fat stores is NOT good for your health. Some storage fat is also required for good health. Why? It is used to protect internal organs in the chest and abdomen. So remember...
Aim to stay within the range for age and gender and rest assured you are taking one of the most positive steps to life-long health you can.
Copyright 2001 SportsFitnessAdvisor.com. All rights reserved
How To Calculate Body Fat... The Best AND Worst Techniques
What is the best way to calculate body fat? That's a tough one. It all depends on what on you place most importance on...
Accuracy? Reliability? Cost? Availability? They are all important factors to think about. Fortunately there are quite a few techniques to choose from. At least one will be best suited for you. Even better news...
Each of the main techniques is explained in detail here! Just decide which best fits your needs (They appear in order of accuracy, least accurate first). Ready? First up is...
Height-Weight Tables
OK we'll get the worst method to calculate body fat out of the way first! Have you ever used one of these things?
You look for your height then run your finger across the table 'till you come to the weight that someone else decided was best for you. And if you're lucky...
They provide you with body frame sizes as well! So now, if you fall outside the weight range for your height AND your body frame size you get to feel really bad! :-(
Seriously though, height-weight tables are very limited because they simply don't calculate body fat. Most football players for example, are much heavier than the recommendations on height-weight tables. Does that make them unhealthy or overfat?
Of course not. Their large frame size and muscular development contributes to their 'excessive' weight. Football players are extreme examples but they highlight the fact that height-weight tables serve little purpose in assessing body composition.
The machines you find in gyms, airports, supermarkets, that ask you to enter your height, age and even...
Your frame size, are just fancy height-weight tables... they don't calculate body fat. Most importantly...
Height-weight tables will tell you nothing about your general health status. With that in mind let's move swiftly onto...
Body Mass Index (BMI)
BMI is a very simple tool. It's best use is for risk assessment for the general population. Does BMI calculate body fat?
Unfortunately not. Compared to height-weight tables though, it has a much higher association with a person's body fat. How does it work? It's a simple formula...
BMI = Body mass in kilograms ÷ (Height x Height in meters) (Divide weight in lbs by 2.2046 to
get weight in kg's)
So as an example a 150lb (68kg) woman who is 165cm (1.65m) tall...
BMI = 68 ÷ (1.65 x 1.65) = 68 ÷ 2.7 = 25
This person has a Body Mass Index of 25. What exactly does this mean?
Well there is a link between BMI and many major degenerative diseases. As a person's BMI increases so does their risk of ill health. Have a look at the table below...
Body Mass Index Classifications
Classification Risk BMI Score
Underweight Moderate less than 18.5
Normal Very low 18.5 - 24.9
Overweight Low 25.0 - 29.9
Obese Class 1 Moderate 30.0 - 34.9
Obese class 2 High 35.0 - 39.9
Extreme obesity Very high greater than 40.0
One important point to remember...
BMI will be inaccurate for many athletes. BMI doesn't calculate body fat so it can't make allowances for muscular development. That's why...
Athletes such as bodybuilders, football players, throwing athletes and anyone on a weight training program should avoid using BMI as a way to calculate body fat. Growing children and very elderly, sedentary adults should also avoid using BMI as a way to calculate body fat.
Along with height-weight tables, BMI has serious limitations. Neither can be used to calculate body fat, unlike...
Girth Measurements
The big advantage of girth measurements is that you need nothing more than a tape measure to calculate body fat. The downsides?
Girth measurements are unsuitable for individuals who appear excessively over or under weight. The technique is also unreliable for athletes who train with weights. If you don't fall into one of
those categories...
Accuracy can still be out by 4% either way. If you calculate body fat to be 20% using girth measurements it actually ranges from 16-24%! Is this a technique worth considering?
Compared to the next 3 coming up... not really. It sounds easy to simply measure girths and it is. But then you have to put the figures into equations and use hard-to-find tables to work out constants and...
It all starts to get a bit complicated! The next 3 techniques are a lot more promising. Introducing...
Skinfold Measurements... The Most Economical Way To Calculate Body Fat?
At last we've come to the first truly reliable technique used to calculate body fat percentage! Along with Body fat scales (we'll get to those in a minute) body fat calipers are just about the most cost effective way to calculate body fat. Of course it depends on...
Whether you buy cheap calipers! So, what are the advantages to using skin fold calipers?
+ Unlike Height-Weight tables and BMI they actually calculate body fat percentage!
+ They are very easy to use. The hardest part is finding the right locations to pinch!
+ They are relatively inexpensive and once you have a set they should last a lifetime.
+ They can be used to calculate body fat in the privacy of your own home.
+ They are portable. You can test others in the most convenient place for them.
+ Used correctly they are an accurate and reliable way to calculate body fat.
+ It can be a quick way to calcualte body fat percentages for a large number of people in a short space of time.
Now for the disadvantages...
- For accurate results an experienced examiner is needed... it really is hard to find the precise locations!
- There are different equations used for different people to calculate body fat percentage from skinfolds. Choosing the wrong equation has a big effect!
- It is very difficult to test yourself. You may have to ask a friend or family member and this
is when skinfold testing becomes unreliable.
- Really cheap calipers won't stay very accurate for long. They aren't as accurate as the more expensive ones to start with.
Don't let these downsides put you off. There is a lot you can do to control the accuracy of skinfold testing. You can even buy a great set of calipers that allow you to test yourself. For tons of great information on skinfold calipers take a look at the skin fold calipers article.
Bioeletrical Impedance Analysis... BIA For Short
Until recently BIA was expensive, difficult to find and required a skills of a highly trained examiner. Not anymore. Body fat scales have appeared on the market and BIA is the technology they use to calculate body fat in seconds.
Their advantages are almost identical to skinfold calipers. As for disadvantages...
- The amount of water in your body, your skin temperature and recent physical activity can all adversely affect the results.
- As with calipers there are different equations used to calculate body fat from your body density. Unfortunately you are stuck with the equation the manufacturers programmed in and it might not be the most one appropriate for you.
Again don't let these put you off. It is probably easier to control the reliability of body fat scales than it is for calipers. For tons of great information on body fat scales check out the body fat scales article
OK, we're just about finished. Last and certainly not least is...
Hydrostatic Weighing... The gold Standard?
If it's accuracy you're after, hydrostatic or underwater weighing is considered the 'gold standard'. The only way to calculate body fat more accurately is through...
Dissection! Ouch. ;-)
Hydrostatic weighing is also a highly repeatable way to calculate body fat. This simply means that your body composition is the only variable that affects the results. Sounds obvious I know. But factors such as the amount of fluid in your body, different examiners and skin temperature can all adversely affect the results of other tests.
Here's the downside. It can be an expensive, time consuming way to calculate body fat, not to
mention difficult to find. A local University may be your best bet. However some larger gyms may have a hydrostatic weighing tank or a Bod Pod (mentioned below).
How does hydrostatic weighing calculate body fat exactly? It is based on Archimede's Principle. The examiner first calculates your body density. How?
By simply measuring the amount of water you displace when you first enter the tank. Then she uses a specific equation to calculate body fat based on your body density.
So to wrap up what's the best way to calculate body fat? Great question!
If your serious about monitoring your health and body fat don't bother with the first 3 techniques -- Height to Weight tables, BMI and girth measurements. Hydrostatic weighing is the most accurate way to calculate body fat if it's an option for you. The best methods to calculate body fat of overall are...
Body fat scales or measuring skinfolds with a set of Skinfold calipers.
Copyright 2001 SportsFitnessAdvisor.com. All rights reserved
20 Practical Weight Loss Tips You Can Use Today
These 20 weight loss tips will help you achieve your weight loss goals. They are simple and effective.
Read through each of them -- it will take less than 5 minutes. Choose your top 5 tips and apply them for 10 days...
Weight loss tips -- #1Do not eat late at night. Dinner should be light and eaten as early as possible, preferably at least 3 hours before bedtime. You will sleep easier and your body will be re-energising itself rather than digesting a meal.
Weight loss tips -- #2Never under eat (less than 1200 calories per day). Eating less than is required to support your basal metabolism will slow your metabolism down!
Weight loss tips -- #3Eat small, frequent meals and snacks (5 or 6 a day). This pattern of eating has been shown to raise metabolism and keep blood sugar levels stable. It also helps to prevent binging because you never feel famished.
Weight loss tips -- #4Do 5 minutes more activity than the day before. It does not have to be an exercise session. Walking to the shops, mowing the lawn, taking the stairs at work all count and it should be spread
throughout the day. After a week or two you'll have to get creative!
Weight loss tips -- #5Train with weights 2 or 3 times per week. Because muscle tissue requires more calories than fat tissue your metabolism will increase. Don't worry... you don't have to become big and bulky for this to have an effect.
Weight loss tips -- #6Drink 10 eight ounce glasses of water a day. Carry a bottle of water with you and drink frequently throughout the day.
Weight loss tips -- #7Avoid pills and fast weight loss tips and schemes. There are no quick fixes!
Weight loss tips -- #8Steam your vegetables rather than frying them in butter or oil.
Weight loss tips -- #9Cut right down on alcohol. A gram of alcohol contains 7 calories or 150 calories in a bottle of beer. Instead of a glass of wine with every evening meal go for flavoured sparkling water.
Weight loss tips -- #10Replace sweet snacks like candy bars with dried fruit or tropical mixes.
Weight loss tips -- #11Replace all full fat milk with low fat milk.
Weight loss tips -- #12Drink a glass of water before you eat. It will fill you up.
Weight loss tips -- #13Keep a food diary. This is one of the best ways to "interrupt" habitual binging and food addictions. Try it for a week.
Weight loss tips -- #14Don't shop when you're hungry. You'll end up buying all kinds of things you know you shouldn't.
Weight loss tips -- #15Make a shopping list before you go and stick to it.
Weight loss tips -- #16Chew your food 10-20 times. You feel more full with less food and it aids digestion.
Weight loss tips -- #17Do not get weighed without also having your body fat measured. This is even more important if you are on an exercise program.
Weight loss tips -- #18Write down tomorrow's meals the night before and the times you plan to eat. That way you are eating "matter-of-factly" rather than on impulse.
Weight loss tips -- #19If you binge eat during the week write down precisely what you did and how you felt just before you did. After a few weeks you should find out what triggers that behaviour. If you are stressed for example may be you could go for a walk, do some deep breathing exercises or listen to your favourite CD.
Weight loss tips -- #20Exercise first thing in the morning. There is more chance of you putting it off, or something getting in the way if you exercise later on.
Tips For Choosing The Right Weight Loss Program
How many weight loss tips, programs and products are there? It's difficult to say but one thing's for sure...
Trial and error is not a useful system for finding the most suitable approach for you. Here are some tips you can use to help you quickly find the best out of a very, very big bunch...
Does the program offer advice on behaviour modification? What is behaviour modification?
Up to 80% of your success is psychological -- you probably already know how to lose weight and if you don't you certainly know how to find out. The challenge is getting yourself to do what you know. If a weight loss program asks you to cut out chocolate for the rest of your life it better have a good system for helping you do it!
Does the program include advice on exercise? If it doesn't the chances are any results will be short lived. Again if it's asking you to do lots of activity and exercise is something you hate, does it have a solution for making it enjoyable?
Do any dietary recommendations have a reasonable balance between carbohydrate, protein and fat? Be particularly wary of any program that virtually eliminates one of these food groups.
Does it promise spectacular results in a ridiculously short period of time? If it does skip to the next program... there are plenty of safer alternatives.
Scrutinise testimonials. Which are more likely to be genuine...
Copyright 2001 SportsFitnessAdvisor.com. All rights reserved
The Best Body Fat Scales And How To Make Them More Reliable
It's true... body fat scales ARE one of the most convenient ways to measure your body fat percentage. But just how reliable and accurate are they?
Body fat scales have some tremendous advantages over other types of body composition tests. Here are some of the most important...
Availability How many places do you know that provide underwater weighing or DEXA (these are generally considered the most accurate ways to measure body fat)?
Once you have a set of body fat scales they are right there whenever you need them. And what about...
Expense Anything with a name like Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) has to be expensive right? It is! Even good quality body fat calipers are more expensive than most body fat scales.
You can buy a good set of body fat scales for under $100 and you can use them again and again. Next advantage?
Convenience Would you rather have a body fat test in the privacy and comfort of your own home or in a lab? Body fat scales are there right when you need them, no appointments to make and no travelling to do.
And probably the most important benefit of all...
Self Testing There are only a few ways you can test your own body composition. Using body scales is one of them. Even most calipers require someone else to take the measurements for you.
How Body Fat Scales Work And Why It's Important
Body fat scales use a technique called Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis... or BIA for short. Very simply...
A small and completely harmless electrical current is passed through your body. The electrical current passes more quickly through fat free tissue like muscle than it does through fat or bone tissue. So...
The amount of resistance to the electrical current relates to how much fat-free mass a person has and their body density. Here's the first challenge...
Like all body fat tests, body fat scales don't actually measure your body fat percentage. They determine your body density. The examiner (or the scales) then uses a formula to calculate body fat percentage based on body density. Here's the key...
These formulas just predict your body fat. Unfortunately there is no one formula that accurately predicts body fat for the whole population. Differences in age, gender, ethnicity, body size, and fitness level all have a significant affect on the results.
Most body fat scales can account for some of the basic differences such as age and gender, but take the actual body fat percentage they give you with a pinch of salt. What does this all mean for you?
Well, whether body fat scales measure your "true" body fat percentage or not doesn't matter! As long as they can accurately monitor changes in your body composition over time, that's all you need.
Your body position, the amount of water in your body, your food intake, skin temperature and recent physical activity can all adversely affect the results of body fat scales. So...
To achieve accurate, consistent results, you must standardise the way you perform each test. That simply means making each test with your body fat scales as similar as possible. The great thing about body fat scales is...
Standardising each test is easy to do. Check out the Top 10 Tips at the bottom of this page to get the most from your body fat scales.
Are body fat scales any better than plain old weighing scales?
Absolutely!
One of the biggest mistakes people on a weight management program make is gauging their progress by weight alone. For all the reasons you should calculate body fat see the body fat percentage article.
The 10 Top Tips When Buying And Using Body Fat Scales
1. Use them to measure your progress only. Don't compare your body fat percentage to tables or to your friends score. It is probably inaccurate no matter what the manufacturers say.
2. Choose body fat scales that have the right profile for you. If your children are going to use them make sure they can be calibrated for children. If you're an athlete (+10 hrs of strenuous exercise a week) same thing applies. This is important. It makes a big difference.
3. Measure out some water one hour before you test yourself. Make sure you always drink the same amount of water one hour before you test yourself.
4. Measure yourself at the same time of day for each test.
5. Your skin temperature affects the electrical current used by the scales. It's difficult but try to test yourself in a similar room temperature each time.
6. Don't test yourself after exercising. When you exercise you sweat and when you sweat you lose water. This affects your hydration levels and hence... the results.
7. Thoroughly clean the foot pads, preferably with alcohol and then dry them off each time you test.
8. Buy the most expensive body fat scales you can afford. Accuracy will almost certainly increase with price.
9. If ever you get the chance, have your body composition measured by a professional using skin fold calipers. It will give you a frame of refernece as to how accurate your scales are.
10. Read the page on body fat calipers. There is one set of calipers that allows you to test yourself and although not as easy and convenient to use they are a cheaper alternative.
The Best Body Fat Scales
These models are all made by Tanita... the leading manufacturer of body fat scales. The prices vary a lot on the Net, even for precisely the same models. This is the cheapest I could find each model at a reliable and reputable internet company...
Tanita 611 Body Fat Scale If you just want body fat scales for yourself this is a great model. It's calibrated for adults only so it won't be accurate for children or athletes.
Tanita 612 Body Fat Scale Exactly the same as the TBF611 model except it is calibrated for athletes as well as adults. If you do consider yourself an athlete you must get scales that are calibrated for athletes.
Tanita 621 Body Fat Scale If you want your children to monitor their body fat this model is the most cost effective. Calibrated
for adults and children means the whole family can benefit from them.
Tanita 551 Body Fat Scale A combination of all the other models. The TBF551 is calibrated for adults, athletes and children. It also stores personal data for 4 people.
Copyright 2001 SportsFitnessAdvisor.com. All rights reserved
How Body Fat Calipers Work And Why It's Important
Body fat calipers measure skinfolds to calculate how much subcutaneous fat (fat under the skin) a person has. The examiner then puts the numbers into an equation to predict body density and body fat percentage. The point to remember is...
Body fat calipers do not measure your body fat percentage directly. The result?
There is a great deal of room for errors to creep in. And as you'll soon see small errors can make a big difference to your outcome. Don't worry though, there's a lot you can do to make body fat calipers considerably more reliable and accurate. Have you ever heard someone say...
"I've just had my body fat measured. It's 15.7%!"
Wow! Point 7 of a percent! How did they manage that? Even hydrostatic weighing is only accurate to within 2-3%! All things considered...
Body fat calipers won't measure your body fat to point 7 of a percent. But they don't have to! As long as you can use them to monitor your progress or a clients progress accurately, over time, that's all that matters. How can you do this?
First step...
Use The Right Equation
Imagine you have just taken 4 skinfold measurements with your body fat calipers. You now have a representation of that person's subcutaneous (under skin) fat. The next stage is...
Putting those measurements into a formula to calculate body fat percentage.
There are over 100 equations you could use! What's more...
Use the wrong equation and body fat calipers become next to useless for predicting body fat percentage. Why are there over one hundred equations?
Well, each equation relates to different populations of people with different characteristics. Young people for example, store about one half of their body fat under the skin. As we age a greater proportion of our body fat is stored internally. So...
If the skinfold measurements for a young and old person were exactly the same, their body fat percentage would still be considerably different. Obviously there are more differences than just age...
Gender, fitness level, race and the amount of total body fat a person has, all make a difference. Hence 100 equations! Here's the key...
No equation has ever been written precisely for you... or for your client! So you will never get truly accurate results.
Using body fat calipers as a way to determine body fat percentage gives you accuracy to within 4% at best. A calculation of 20% could actually mean a body fat percentage of 16 to 24%!
Still not convinced that using the right equation is that important? Have a look at this real life example...
John is one of those people everyone loves to hate... he's naturally very lean. John had his body fat tested in laboratory conditions using professional body fat calipers. Skinfolds were taken at 16 locations on John's body and each skinfold was measured 3 times by an experienced examiner. The results?
Take a look at the table below. 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 Equations
EquationEquation 1
Parizkova (1978)
Equation 2 Jackson et al.
(1978)
Equation 3 Jackson et al.
(1978)
Equation 4 Durnin and Wolmersley (1974)
No. of skinfolds
10 3 7 4
Body Fat Percent
10.1% 3.6% 3.7% 9.6%
Different equations make a big difference. Agreed? One of those equations is the most suitable for John because he is an athlete. Using an equation designed for the general population won't give John the most accurate results.
What is the best way to make certain you don't use the wrong equation?
Don't use any equation at all! Don't try and convert skinfolds into a body fat percentage. Instead just note down the skinfold measurements and monitor their change over time.
If you really must have a number for body fat percentage then just use it as a benchmark for progress. Don't start comparing it with your friend who was tested by a different person.
There is another key ingredient for using body fat calipers successfully...
The Examiner's Experience
Who qualifies as an experienced body composition analyst...
A gym instructor? A personal trainer? A friend after she has read the instruction manual?
Research recommends that 50-100 tests are needed before an examiner can be classed as 'competent'with body fat calipers! And not only that...
Those 50-100 test should be carried out in research settings (highly controlled and meticulous). The skill is in precisely locating skinfold sites on the body...
No matter how fancy the diagrams are in the instruction manual a few centimetres, even millimetres out compounds to make a significant difference. How can you overcome this problem?
If you are being tested... Ask how much experience your examiner has had. If you don't like asking, notice how much time she takes finding skinfold locations. Even the most experienced scientific researchers take their time to measure (with a ruler) then mark with a felt pen each and every location. At the very least...
Always have the same examiner test you. Even under the strictest of conditions results vary considerably from tester to tester. What if you want to test yourself?
Think seriously about body fat scales instead. There is one exception though...
Accu-measure body fat calipers.
At the moment these are the only body fat calipers that reliably let you test yourself. They are extremely simple to use and a recent study has shown very positive results for accuracy. Recommended in Body-for-LIFE and endorsed by the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation, Accumeasure are the only calipers you should buy for self-testing
Accu-Measure Body Fat Caliper
If you carry out body fat tests... Find out the precise locations of each skinfold site. For example, the abdomen skinfold site is 1 inch to the right of the belly button so...
Measure it with a ruler, don't guess! If the triceps site is midway between the tip of the shoulder and elbow, use a ruler to measure exactly halfway.
Your client won't thank you for it but mark each location with a felt pen. Once you've marked the locations measure each skinfold. Then measure them again and then a third time. Using the average of 3 readings will significantly increase your accuracy.
Is there anything else you can do to make sure your body fat tests are as accurate and reliable as possible?
Use Good Quality Calipers
Body fat calipers are body fat calipers right?
Not if price is anything to go by! They range from $10 to $500! Why such a big difference? Well...
To be accurate body fat calipers need to exert a certain amount of constant pressure (10 gm./sq. mm). The cheap, $10 body fat calipers lack tension control and won't stay accurate for very long. Remember...
Small inconsistencies compound into significant errors. This may seem like an insignificant point but they all add up. Having said that...
There is absolutely no need to buy THE most expensive set... unless you want to! If you are a Health and Fitness Professional body calipers are one of the best investments you can make. If your budget stretches to a professional set of calipers they will repay you many times over.
Summing up... are body fat calipers worth the investment?
Definitely!
One of the biggest mistakes people on a weight management program make is gauging their progress by weight alone. For all the reasons you should calculate your body fat check out the body fat percentage article. If you are a Health and Fitness Professional... well, you probably already know the reasons why you must make body fat testing part of your fitness armoury.
The Top 5 Body Fat Calipers
Harpenden Caliper The Harpenden is the most accurate skinfold caliper made. It has been the standard research caliper for many years. Virtually all the data and equations relating skinfold thickness to bodyfat are based on studies done with the Harpenden.
Lafayette Skinfold Caliper The Lafayette Skinfold Caliper is one of the most accurate and durable calipers available today. It was designed with the assistance of Dr. Andrew Jackson, co-author of the widely used Jackson-Pollock skinfold formulas.
Lange Caliper This is the best selling of the higher priced body fat calipers. It has been manufactured since 1962 and is widely used in schools, colleges and fitness centers. The Lange is one of the lower cost professional calipers.
Accu-Measure Body Fat Caliper At the moment these are the only body fat calipers that reliably let you test yourself. They are extremely simple to use and a recent study has shown very positive results for accuracy. Recommended in Body-for-LIFE and endorsed by the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation.
Slim Guide Skinfold Caliper Much lower priced than any of the above body fat calipers yet will produce results that are almost as accurate. This is the only low cost caliper accurate enough to be used for professional measurements and is the most widely used professional caliper in the world.
Let's sum up the two most popular methods used to calculate body fat...
The Top 10 Tips When Using Body Fat Calipers
1. Use body fat calipers to measure progress only. Don't compare body fat percentage to tables or norms. Even experts using the best body fat calipers can't be totally accurate.
2. For greater accuracy, monitor changes with skinfold measurements rather than converting them into a body fat percentage and using that to judge progress.
3. Have an experienced examiner test you if possible. At the very least have the same person test you each time. If you are a Health and Fitness professional be meticulous about how you find skinfold sites.
4. If you want to test yourself the only viable option at the moment are Accu-measure body fat calipers. Do not, I repeat do not splash out on quality calipers if you only intend to test yourself.
5. If you test other people buy the most expensive body fat calipers you can afford.
6. Take the reading within 4 seconds of applying the body fat calipers to the skinfold. A prolonged delay has been shown to significantly underestimate the actual skinfold value.
7. Take measurements at the same time of day for each test.
8. Don't have a test immediately after exercising.
9. If the chance arises, compare the results you get to a hydrostatic weighing test. A similar method will probably be available in a lot of gyms in the near future. It's called the Bod Pod.
10. If you haven't already... read the page on body fat scales. You may find they better fit your needs...
Copyright 2001 SportsFitnessAdvisor.com. All rights reserved
Body Composition
Body Composition Methods:
Skinfold Measurements Underwater Weighing Bioelectrical Impedence Bod Pod (Air Displacement) Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) Near Infrared Interactance (NIR) Futrex 5000
Skinfold Measurements
Description: This method is the most widely used body composition testing method for assessing percent body fat. Equipment used for this assessment includes a skinfold caliper. A Skinfold Caliper is designed specifically for simple accurate measurement of subcutaneous tissue. Either a 7 or 3 site skinfold may be assessed.
7 site skinfold:
chest triceps subscapular axilla suprailiac abdomen thigh
3 site skinfold (Men):
chest abdomen thigh
3 Site Skinfold (Women)
tricep suprailiac thigh
How accurate is it?
If each test is performed correctly according to the recommended guidelines, there is a +/- 3% error. Validity (compared to underwater weighing): 7 site skinfold (r = .90), 3 site skinfold (r = .89).*
Commonly used calipers:
Lange Skinfold Caliper: This type of caliper is widely used in schools, colleges, and fitness centers. It is very popular among physical educators, coaches, and health and fitness professionals. The price range is $ 179.00 – $220.00.
Harpenden Skinfold Caliper: the standard caliper used in research. The majority of data involving body composition assessments dealing with the relationship of skinfold thickness to percent body fat in use today are based on studies using this caliper. It’s accuracy is within 0.2 mm and can be read to the nearest 0.1 mm. Harpenden Skinfold Caliper is popular among Exercise Scientists and or Health Science Researchers. The price range is $275.00 – $400.00.
Advantages:
Easy to use once skill has been mastered Does not require much time Noninvasive method Inexpensive way of estimating percent body fat
Disadvantages:
Technical sources of error Mostly concerned with subcutaneous fat (under the skin) May not be an ideal measurement for those who are obese and very lean
Where can I have my body composition assessed by skinfold calipers?
School College YMCA
Hospital Based Wellness Program Recreational Program Commercial Fitness Club Community Fitness Club Sport/Exercise Physiology Laboratory
Underwater Weighing
(a.k.a. Hydrostatic Weighing)
Description: This method uses Archimedes principle which states that when a body is submerged in water, there is a buoyant counter force equal to the weight of the water which is displaced. Because bone and muscle are more dense than water, a person with a larger percentage of fat free mass will weigh more in the water and have a lower percent body fat. Conversely, fat floats. Therefore, a large amount of fat mass will make the body lighter in the water and have a higher percent body fat.
How accurate is it?
If each test is performed correctly according to the recommended guidelines, there is a +/- 1.5% error. (Note: Accuracy depends on the client’s ability to blow all the air out of their lungs both during a pre-test screening with a spirometer, and during the test itself. Since air makes the body float, inability to perform either of these maneuvers will result in miscalculation of the percent body fat.)
Advantages:
This method is currently considered the "gold standard" in percent body fat measurement
Repeat measures usually prove consistent, and can be used to chart progress
Disadvantages: This method usually requires a lot of equipment and space Testing is time consuming and involved Requires in-depth knowledge to administer the tests and compute the
calculations Being submerged under water may be difficult and produce anxiety for some
Cost: Usually hydrostatic weighing will cost anywhere from $10-$75 due to the involved
nature of the test.
Where? Available at research institutions and colleges or universities
Discounted pricing is usually available for students.
Bioelectrical Impedence
Description: By standing barefoot on metal foot plates, an undetectably low voltage electric current is sent up one leg and down the other. Since fat is a very poor conductor of electricity, a lot of fat will impede the current more so than a lot of lean tissue. By measuring the resistance to the current, the machine estimates the percent body fat.
How accurate is it? BIA accuracy, if done correctly on properly operating equipment, is approximately +/- 3%. However, accuracy is dependant upon several client-based variables. It is recommended the following guidelines be followed:
Abstain from eating and drinking within 4 hours of the test Avoid exercising within 12 hours of the test Void (urinate) completely prior to testing Do not drink alcohol within 48 hours of the test Avoid taking diuretics prior to testing unless instructed by your physician
Advantages:
Requires little or no technical knowledge of the operator or the client Testing itself takes less than a minute The unit can be easily transported from place to place Requires only an electrical outlet and the machine itself
Disadvantages: This method has a higher standard error range than most people desire Tends to consistently overestimate lean people and underestimate obese people The accuracy BIA does have is very dependant on multiple variables which may
be hard to control for some people
Cost: BIA machines can be purchased for home use for anywhere between $100-$400. To be measured on a machine at a school or club, prices range from free to $30
per use.
Where Can I Have it Done? BIA is popular in health and fitness clubs due to its ease of operation. They may also be found at health fairs, schools or universities.
Bod Pod (Air Displacement)
Description: One of the newest forms of body composition testing involving state of the art technology, developed by Life Measurements Instruments, Concord, CA. The use of Bod Pod correlates nicely with the concept of hydrostatic weighing (underwater weighing). Instead of using water to measure body volume, the Bod Pod uses air displacement to measure body volume. Measurement time takes roughly 5 to 8 minutes per individual.
How accurate is it? If each test is performed correctly according to the recommended guidelines, there is a ± 3% error. According to McCrory, et al.*, the Bod pod has a validity of r = .93 using hydrostatic weighing as the criterion measure. * Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 27(12): 1686-1691, 1995.
Factors that may affect accuracy of the Bod Pod
Hydration status and increases in muscle temperature can adversely affect calculation results
Also, it is imperative to breath normal, remain still, and keep hands in lap while being assessed by the Bod Pod (any slight movement or change in breathing pattern may affect results)
Attire required for assessment by the Bod Pod Spandex shorts (Imperative that tight fitting shorts are worn) Swim cap
Advantages Does not require getting wet Not difficult to operate Measurement time is short Well suited for special populations (children, obese, elderly, and disabled
persons)
Disadvantages
Very expensive ($30,000 - $40,000) Only a few facilities have the Bod Pod
Where can I have my body composition assessed by the Bod Pod? Available at research laboratories Available at athletic facilities (Pro and College)
How much does it cost to have my body composition assessed by the Bod Pod? $40 - $65 per visit
Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA)
Description: DEXA is a fairly new technology. It is based on the three component model of body composition. DEXA uses two X-ray energies to measure body fat, muscle, and bone mineral. When having the scan done, one must lay still in the supine position on what looks like an x-ray table. It takes approximately twelve minutes for the computer software to produce an image of the tissues. The results may be viewed as whole body estimates of body fat, muscle, and bone mineral as well as regional body estimates.
How accurate is it?: DEXA takes bone mineral content into consideration when estimating body fat and muscle, therefore it is considered to be more accurate and valid than a two component model of body composition such as underwater weighing.
Advantages:
Radiation exposure is low DEXA is quick One does not have to wear a bathing suit or skimpy clothing There is no special preparation on the part of the participant
Disadvantages: DEXA is costly
Cost: DEXA may cost as much as $300
Where Can I Have it Done? It can be done at universities and research facilities It may be free for those participating in a research study
Near Infrared Interactance (NIR) Futrex 5000
Description: This method of assessing body fat is based on the principles of light absorbtion , reflectance, and near infrared spectroscopy. To estimate body composition , a computerized spectrophotometer that has a scan and probe are used. The probe is placed onto a selected body site such as the biceps; it emitts an infrared light which passes through both fat and muscle and is reflected back to the probe. Subject data such as height, weight, sex, age, frame size and activity level are taken into consideration. Density measurements are obtained and incorporated into the manufacturer’s prediction equations. A digital read out including percentage body fat and lean tissue are displayed. Futrex 5000 is an example of NIR.
How Accurate is it?
This method of assessing body fat is not the most accurate. In a study by *Mclean et al (1992), it was found that skinfolds more accurately predicted body fat than NIR when underwater weighing was used as the criterion measure. In their study, Futrex 5000 underestimated body fat by more than 4% in subjects greater than 30% fat and overestimated body fat by 4% in subjects less than 8% fat. * Medicine and Exercise in Sports and Exercise. Validity of Futrex-5000 for Body Composition. Vol. 2 No.2 pg. 253-257, 1992
Advantages: Safe Non-invasive Fast Convenient.
Disadvantages:
Not one of the most accurate techniques used to assess body fat composition.
Cost:
Fairly inexpensive. It may cost anywhere from twenty to forty dollars.
Where Can I Have it Done? Health clubs Weight loss centers Medical practices offering weight loss programs
SKINFOLD CALIPER BUYER'S GUIDE
Accumeasure Caliper
Accu-Measure Body Fat Caliper
Slim Guide Skinfold Calipers
This buyer's guide will first explain the importance of measuring and monitoring % bodyfat and then describe the different models of calipers on the market.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BODY COMPOSITION AND % BODYFAT
by Wallace C. DonoghueIn recent years, the measurement of % bodyfat has become widely used and recommended as one of the indicators of fitness. By monitoring % bodyfat and weight regularly, there are many things a person can learn about their fitness and any changes in fitness as time progresses, that cannot be learned by simply weighing with a scale. Later in this section I will tell you how to measure % bodyfat, but first I will explain it and tell about the many benefits obtained by monitoring bodyfat. Perhaps the most important single thing the monitoring of % bodyfat will do is determine changes in muscle tissue over time. By knowing % bodyfat, the % of muscle, bone, organs, etc. can also be determined. For example, if a person has 20% bodyfat and weighs 135 lbs., then 27 lbs. of this is fat. Everything else, which is sometimes referred to as the "lean mass" is 80% of their weight or 108 lbs. Of this lean mass, the component that can change the most is muscle tissue. Therefore, if a person monitors their change in % bodyfat and weight they can also determine their change in muscle tissue. Muscle tissue can increase or decrease depending on a person's diet, activities, exercise and lifestyle.
Research has shown several interesting things about body composition and muscle tissue. Various studies have shown that the typical American loses muscle tissue and gains fat steadily beginning about age 20. The studies show that even people of standard weight, who maintain their same weight as they grow older, still gain fat and lose muscle tissue. A major study by Brozek and Keys of a large group of men showed the following changes in % fat with age of people of standard weight. That is, people who maintained their correct weight per height-weight charts over time. Age 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55
%Bodyfat 10.3 13.4 16.2 18.6 20.7 22.5 23.9 25.0
What this shows is that a person who weighs, for example, 160 lbs. at age 20 has 16 lbs. of fat (10.3%) and 144 lbs. of everything else (bones, muscle, organs, etc.). But at age 55, this same person who still weighs 160 lbs. has 40 lbs. of fat (25%) and 120 lbs. of everything else. Since muscle tissue is the component of "lean mass" that changes the most, this
The Fat Gun
Body Caliper
means that from age 20 to age 55, this person has lost 24 lbs. of muscle and replaced it with 24 lbs. of fat. Even though this person weighs the same at 55 as he did at age 20 his body has deteriorated substantially. The example given is for a man, but exactly the same thing happens to the typical American woman. This deterioration did not have to happen to this person. It is due to the typical American lifestyle of too little exercise and too much fat in the diet. It has been proven that those who exercise regularly, along with a proper diet, do not lose muscle tissue or gain fat. In fact, even at age 50 and above it is possible to build muscle tissue back up and regain the correct balance between muscle, fat and weight. All that is necessary is the proper exercise and diet program. It is important to note that this deterioration starts early. Even by the age of 25, the typical American has lost 3% of their body weight in muscle tissue and replaced it with fat. And this is just for those who maintain their correct weight. For those whose weight increases the situation is worse because almost all of the weight increase is fat. If a person monitors their % bodyfat regularly, they can detect muscle loss early and take corrective action before serious changes take place. Another very important use of % bodyfat measurements is to monitor the effect of diet and/or exercise on muscle tissue and fat. For example, research has shown that when a person goes on a typical fad diet, with little exercise, they lose as much or more muscle tissue than fat.
(Scales will not tell a person that this is happening, but measuring % bodyfat regularly will.) Then, if this person goes off the diet and gains the weight back, they gain more fat back than they lost and less muscle tissue than they lost. The result is that they have more fat and less muscle than before the down-up cycle and are worse off than before the diet. Again, measuring % bodyfat will show this whereas scales will not. Of course, the way to reduce properly is through lots of exercise combined with a proper well-balanced diet. In this way it is possible for a person to actually gain muscle tissue while losing fat. Measuring % bodyfat regularly will determine the effectiveness of the exercise-diet program being used. There are many other things measuring % bodyfat can show. For example, a person who is much too lean, particularly women, may not realize this and scales will not tell them. There are studies which indicate it is harmful for women to drop below 10 to 12% bodyfat. And, of course, we all know the problem of Anorexic girls and women who do not realize, or refused to believe, they are much too lean. Regular
Lange Caliper
Skyndex Caliper
Harpenden Caliper
Lafayette Caliper
monitoring of % bodyfat will show graphically and accurately that they are too lean and are also losing muscle and organ tissue with their inadequate nutrition intake. Positive proof of this through % bodyfat measurements can help convince them that they need a better diet, higher in calories and nutrition. Another use for % bodyfat measurements concerns a much more common situation. This is the person who is the correct weight according to a height weight chart or even underweight according to these charts. They may also look reasonably fit when they look in a mirror and may think they are just fine. And yet, if they measure their % bodyfat they may find they have too much fat. Their small, under-developed, probably little used muscles account for their light weight. % bodyfat measurements will show them they are overfat and under muscled and they will realize they need to go on an exercise program with correct food intake to replace fat with muscle. And yet another possibility is a very strong, muscular, athletic person. They may have a weight considerably above what a height-weight chart would say they should have. If they believe the chart they may think they have too much fat and have to lose weight when, in fact, their extra weight is due to large muscles. This person might actually be very lean and if they were to go on a diet and lose weight almost all the loss would be muscle tissue.
Measuring % bodyfat would reveal this situation and show the person they were lean and that the extra weight was muscle and possibly even stronger bones which have a higher density. A scale cannot give this information. Only % bodyfat measurements will show this. A typical situation that exists when someone starts on a good exercise program combined with proper nutrition is that they find their weight is not changing even after several months. They may get discouraged and give it up, thinking their new regimen is not doing them any good. However, if they measured their % bodyfat regularly they would find they were replacing fat with muscle and, in fact, benefiting themselves greatly. Thus, rather than becoming discouraged, they would be encouraged to continue. Now that the importance of % bodyfat measurements has been explained, we come to the question of how to measure it. There are several methods in use today, however, the most accurate are underwater weighing and Skinfold Caliper measurements. Underwater weighing tends to be more accurate than Skinfold Calipers for people above about 45% bodyfat. For people in the 15 to 45% range, Skinfold Calipers
Fat Track Skin Caliper
and underwater weighing are about equal in accuracy. For people less than 15% bodyfat, underwater weighing becomes progressively less accurate and can be seriously in error for very lean people. Skinfold Calipers are the most accurate method for people below 15% bodyfat. There are several other methods for measuring % bodyfat such as circumference measurements, infrared, etc., but none are accurate and only provide an approximation. Underwater weighing is impractical for most people and is generally only used in large facilities such as schools and hospitals. Skinfold Calipers are then the obvious answer for most applications. They are accurate and easy to use and can also be used in the home. What is the correct or ideal % bodyfat? This is perhaps the most difficult question to answer. Not all people have the same ideal % bodyfat. It varies with age and sex, and one person might be better at a higher or lower % bodyfat than another person of the same age and sex. And the desirable bodyfat of athletes can vary depending on the sport. For example, swimmers seem to perform better at a higher % bodyfat than runners. But, some general guidelines and ranges can be given that are applicable to the vast majority. For men up to about age 30, 9 to 15 % is good. From age 30 to 50, 11 to 17% is a good range and from age 50 and up, 12 to 19%.
A person should try to stay below the upper limits given and a person at the lower limit would be described as lean. For women, the range up to age 30 is 14 to 21%, from 30 to 50 it is 15 to 23% and from 50 up it is 16 to 25%. Again, it is desirable to be below the upper limit, and a woman near the lower limit would be lean. The % bodyfat obtained by underwater weighing or skinfold calipers includes total bodyfat, not just that under the skin. In addition to the fat under the skin all people have internal fat, around organs, etc. A certain amount of fat is necessary for health and body functioning, sometimes referred to as essential fat. Many people, particularly women, try to get too lean. It is generally agreed that this is not healthy, and, in many cases can actually cause harm. Women should not try to get below the minimums given above. It should be noted that the ranges given above are not the averages for the U.S. population, but are the desirable ranges. The actual averages for the population as a whole are much higher because of the large number of people with % bodyfat well above the upper limit of the desirable ranges.
DESCRIPTION OF SKINFOLD CALIPERS
ALL MODELS OF SKINFOLD CALIPERS ARE DESCRIBED BELOW
Body Trends is your one source for all Skinfold Calipers. We handle all major brands and most at discount prices. While the calipers vary considerably in appearance, size, materials, price, etc., most will produce reasonably accurate results if used properly. One of the major differences between the calipers is the jaw area and spring tension, however, all have a jaw pressure of approximately 10 gm./sq.mm. Of greater importance than any differences in calipers is the technique used in measuring skinfolds. It is very important that the proper procedures be used. The 22 page book: "How To Measure Your % Bodyfat" describes the procedures in detail with illustrations.
The following is a brief description of the calipers listed in order of decreasing price.
1. Skyndex I This unique caliper has a built in computer which calculates and displays % bodyfat directly on its LCD digital readout, thus eliminating the necessity to add the skinfold readings and compute the % bodyfat from formulas or tables. Ideal for those who need to measure a lot of people quickly or want to reduce the chance of errors. Available with Durnin, Jackson-Pollock and Slaughter-Lohman formulas. Only one program is in each caliper and the desired formula needs to be specified when ordering. The calipers can be furnished with 2 formulas and a selector switch for an additional $75.00. 1 year warranty.
2. Harpenden This has been the standard research caliper for many years. Virtually all the data, equations, tables, etc., relating skinfold thickness to % bodyfat in use today are based on studies done using the Harpenden. It is also the most accurate being within + or - 0.2 mm. and can be read to the nearest 0.1 mm. although this accuracy is far greater than is necessary for ordinary % bodyfat determinations. 1 year warranty.
3. Skyndex II This is basically the same as the Skyndex I except it does not have the built in computer. It has an easy to read digital readout and a "hold" feature. When the user is satisfied with the reading the hold button can be pushed and this will lock the reading on the digital display until it can be written down. A second push on the hold button returns the caliper to "0". 1 year warranty.
4. Fat Track Skin Caliper This computerized skinfold caliper is accurate down to millimeters with a measuring range to 60mm. It stores each measurement in memory and then calculates body fat percentage instantly and accurately. Data can be stored for up to three separate people at a time. FatTrack also has a "self-calibration" feature that maintains a lifetime measuring accuracy.
5. Lange This is the best selling of the high priced calipers. It has been manufactured since 1962 and is widely used in schools, colleges, fitness centers, etc. This is one of the lower cost professional calipers, and, because of our very high sales volume, we are
able to discount it heavily. Convenient size and easy to use. 1 year warranty. 6. Body Caliper
These skin fold calipers are plastic and include video instructions, protective case and tables. This caliper is good quality at an affordable price. The Body Caliper claims to be as accurate as the well-known Lange caliper.
7. Slim Guide Much lower priced than any of the above calipers yet will produce results that are almost as accurate. This is the only low cost caliper accurate enough to be used for professional measurements and is the most widely used professional caliper in the world. Its primary disadvantage is that it does not look professional, high tech or sophisticated. Easy to use with convenient pistol grip and trigger. It is made of ABS plastic and is the most durable of all calipers. 5 year warranty, the longest of any caliper.
8. AccuMeasure This caliper has a sliding indicator that you reset to the side before the measurement. It has a tab on the spring arm which the user pushes through a notch when applying the caliper to the skinfold. The idea is that it gives an audible click or feel to tell the user that the reading was established. After feeling the click, you may release the caliper, and the indicator stays at the measurement for easy recording.
9. Speed RuleThis is not a skinfold caliper but an accessory for use with skinfold calipers. It is a slide rule type of device for rapidly computing % bodyfat from the sum of the caliper readings.
Usable with all makes of skinfold calipers and is faster and easier than using tables or formulas to compute % bodyfat. Uses the Jackson-Pollock formulas which are best for very lean people. Not recommended for men above approximately 12 % bodyfat or women above approximately 14%.
10. Video: "Body Calipers" These video instructions make it easy for anyone to use most any skinfold fat calipers. They come free with the Body Calipers, but are available seperately if desired.
The Lafayette Skinfold CaliperThis caliper is one of the most accurate and durable calipers available today. It was designed with the assistance of Dr. Andrew S. Jackson, co-author of the widely used Jackson-Pollock skinfold formulas. Lafayette's unique skinfold design has an adjustable zero-point which allows you to reset the pointer back to zero and a measurement range of 0-100mm. Other skinfold calipers cannot be easily adjusted and need to be sent back to the factory, which can cost $45 or more.
