Body Fat Percentage from 7 Site Skin Fold
Measure the skin folds when the skin is dry, before exercise, and when you're not overheated. Measure each skinfold 3 times and use the 2 which agree. Pinch from the top and measure from the bottom. (Directions to take skinfolds are given after the calculator.)
Enter the measurement values in the tables below and press 'calculate body fat' to calculate your body fat percentage using the 7 site skinfold measurement.
The 7 Site Skin Fold:
- SITE 1 - CHEST. A diagonal fold taken one half of the distance between the nipple and the anterior auxiliary. (The anterior auxiliary line is the crease where the top of the arm, when hanging down, meets the chest.)
- SITE 2 - ABDOMINAL. A vertical skinfold measurement taken 2.5 cm (one inch) to the right of the umbilicus (navel).
- SITE 3 - THIGH. A vertical skinfold measurements taken half the distance between the patella (knee cap) and the inguinal crease (the skin crease between the thigh and the hip). The leg should be straight and relaxed.
- SITE 4 - AXILLA. A vertical fold taken on the midaxillary line (a vertical line descending directly from the center of the armpit) at the level of the nipple.
- SITE 5 - TRICEPS. With the arm resting comfortably at the side, take a vertical fold parallel to the long axis of the arm midway between the prominent bone at the top of the shoulder (acromion process) and the tip of the elbow (olecranon process).
- SITE 6 - SUBSCAPULA. A diagonal fold taken on the upper back, just below the inferior (lower) angle of scapula (shoulder blade) at a 45-degree angle approximately parallel to the inferior angle of the scapula.
- SITE 7 - SUPRAILIAC. Take a diagonal fold following the natural line of the iliac crest, just above the hip bone.
References:
Jackson, A.S. & Pollock, M.L. (1978) Generalized equations for predicting body density of men. British J of Nutrition, 40: p497-504.
Jackson, et al. (1980) Generalized equations for predicting body density of women. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 12:p175-182.
Siri, W. E. (1961). Body composition from fluid space and density. In J. Brozek & A.