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How do I Use the Slim Guide Fat Caliper Test?

Skinfold calipers are used to measure the amount of subcutaneous fat located at several places on your body. Calipers are easy to use, portable and convenient. Using the Slim Guide Skinfold Caliper, as with most calipers, you can get a fairly accurate reading of your body fat content.

  1. Body Parts To Test

    • You can measure one, two or four body locations for the Slim Guide fat caliper test. The four locations include the tricep (back of the arm), your upper back, your bicep (front of the arm) and the suprailiac (waist, midway between the hip joint and the bottom of the rib cage).

    How to Take the Measurements

    • For each body part, use your thumb and index finger to pinch an area of skin wide enough so that you get a good fold. Folds on the tricep and bicep should be vertical. The fold on the back should be on a 45-degree angle and the fold on the waist should be horizontal. Pull this fold of skin away from the body and place the jaws of the calipers around it. Release the trigger so that the caliper is tightly pinching the skinfold. Continue holding the skinfold and release the caliper trigger slightly for a few seconds. The caliper will open slightly and give you the correct reading.

    Using the Measurements to Get a Body Fat Percentage

    • Once you have all the measurements, you can use an online body fat caliper calculator to find your body fat percentage (see Resources).

    What the Numbers Mean

    • For females, a body fat percentage of 25 to 31 percent is considered acceptable. Anything above this number is considered obese. For males, the acceptable body fat percentage range is 18 to 25. Anything above 25 percent body fat is considered obese.

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