Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques, and Equipment

Skinfold Thickness

The measurement of subcutaneous fat located directly beneath the skin by grasping a fold of skin and subcutaneous fat between the thumb and forefinger and pulling it away from the underlying muscle tissue. The thickness of the double layer of skin and subcutaneous tissue is then read with a caliper. The five most frequently measured sites are the upper arm, below the scapula, above the hip bone, the abdomen, and the thigh. Its application is the determination of relative fatness, of changes in physical conditioning programs, and of the percentage of body fat in desirable body weight. (From McArdle, et al., Exercise Physiology, 2d ed, p496-8)

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

The measurement of subcutaneous fat located directly beneath the skin by grasping a fold of skin and subcutaneous fat between the thumb and forefinger and pulling it away from the underlying muscle tissue. The thickness of the double layer of skin and subcutaneous tissue is then read with a caliper. The five most frequently measured sites are the upper arm, below the scapula, above the hip bone, the abdomen, and the thigh. Its application is the determination of relative fatness, of changes in physical conditioning programs, and of the percentage of body fat in desirable body weight. (From McArdle, et al., Exercise Physiology, 2d ed, p496-8)

MeSH Record

Classification

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See Also

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Synonyms

3 entry terms
  • Skinfold Thicknesses
  • Thickness, Skinfold
  • Thicknesses, Skinfold

MeSH Record

History Note

73(68)

MeSH Record

Previous Indexing

  • Obesity (1966-1967)
  • Skin (1966-1967)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. E01w.370.600w.115.100.803
  2. E05.041w.124.803
  3. G07.100.100.803

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Skinfold Thickness. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D012885. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D012885
  2. Skinfold Thickness. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q67172538