I typically use the 4-site body fat caliper test on my clients. However this evening I've been playing around with the 7-site test. On me there was a huge difference. The 4-site puts me at 23-4% and the 7-site puts me at 16.6%! This seems like way too big a gap for both to be of the same accuracy. Which do you find to be more accurate when testing clients or yourself for body fat, the 4 site (bi, tri, subscap, suprailliac) or the 7 site (bi, tri, ab, subscap, suprailliac, quad, pec)?? Or is there a different test you prefer?
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02-10-2009, 07:56 PM #1
body fat calipers. 4-site or 7-site?
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02-10-2009, 08:01 PM #2
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02-11-2009, 06:45 AM #3
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02-11-2009, 09:52 AM #4
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02-11-2009, 10:52 AM #5
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02-11-2009, 11:24 AM #6
I do a 5 site (tri, ab, suprailliac, quad, pec)
Most of the time caliper readings will be skewed, but they are generall accurate against themselves.
IE.. I carry all my fat around the midsection. because of this, my tri's, quads, and pecs have very small readings, my wiast has the larger, but it will skew the % off by about 4% low. I know I'm 13-14 and it says 9.6. But when it says I lost 3%, I usually did. The lower my bf % is, the more accurate the readings are.lift big 2 get big
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02-11-2009, 04:07 PM #7
- Join Date: Nov 2008
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Take all measurements on the right side of the body. If the client is obese it is not recommended to take skinfold measurements. Do not take measurements after physical activity or when overheated. The added fluid under the skin may increase skinfold thickness. Always take the readings at the same time of the day. If you are female, avoid measuring during the menstrual cycle. The site you will use for skinfold measurement is the suprailliac, which is located approximately one inch above your right hipbone and move up one inch. Practice until you get consistent results.
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02-12-2009, 08:41 AM #8
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02-15-2009, 06:11 AM #9
More is not necessarily better. At least three certifying groups I know of have a 3-site test (it's the Jackson Pollock), which is quite credible. I don't think the difference should necessarily be in how many sites you use, but with the chart that you use and how you measure. Bodyfat is something that can't 100% be measured by calipers anyway, so you're always going to be looking at a range. Try the 3,4,5, or 7 site test again and see if you get similar results. It may a difference in how you're pinching. Remember that different sites can be easier or harder to pinch.
What test you use will also depend on if you're pinching a male or a female.
Just my thoughts.
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02-15-2009, 08:29 AM #10
1. Skinfold testing isn't that accurate. Errors of +/- 5% bodyfat are typical.
2. The more sites tested (12 is usually the most), the more accurate the reading.
3. You need tons of experience and truly proper instruction in testing bodyfat percentage with calipers before I'd personally take your numbers seriously. If you haven't had true and repeated formal instruction on how to perform bodyfat caliper tests and haven't done the process 100s of times, your accuracy is probably not that good no matter what.
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02-15-2009, 11:05 AM #11
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02-15-2009, 04:21 PM #12
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02-15-2009, 04:34 PM #13
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02-16-2009, 09:59 AM #14
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02-16-2009, 11:12 AM #15
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11-15-2014, 11:24 PM #16
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11-16-2014, 09:32 AM #17
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11-17-2014, 12:43 PM #18
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I agree with both of the above. Margin of error is well documented in literature and practitioner error is prevalent.
Skinfold tests cannot be consistently accurate. How accurate can any two compartment model be?
I have an in depth video on the literature surrounding skinfold measurements including different site protocols, margins of error vs 4C models as well as why two exact skinfold measurements in different individuals would have a different fat composition.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFOhj07rJJ0PEScience Representative
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