Canadian Medical Guide > Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment > Diagnosis > Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures > Physical Examination > Skinfold Thickness Terms and Definitions

Skinfold Thickness

Medical Definition:	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)
Guide Notes:	a measurement of body fat; no qualif
Previously Indexed:	Obesity (1966-1967),Skin (1966-1967)

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