Britannica Sources used in this answer

How do skinfold calipers estimate body fat?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Close-up of hands using a measuring tape to measure the waist circumference of an obese man wearing a white shirt and beige pants. — obesity The excessive accumulation of body fat can cause serious medical conditions.

Skinfold calipers are hand-held devices used to estimate body fat by measuring subcutaneous fat. The process involves using the device to pinch the skin at specific sites on the body. By measuring the thickness of these skinfolds, the tool provides an indirect assessment of an individual's body fat percentage.12

While Body Mass Index (BMI) is a common clinical tool for screening, it is not a direct measure of body fat and does not account for individual variations in bone density or muscle mass. In contrast, skinfold measurements are considered a more accurate method for assessing body fat than BMI alone. Because of the limitations of BMI, healthcare professionals are increasingly encouraged to look beyond it when evaluating a patient's overall health and status regarding obesity.21