ABSTRACT
Unlike Computed Tomography (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanning, skinfold measurement to predict body composition is widespread, predominantly because of its affordability and portability. The validity of skinfold measurement as an accurate predictor of whole-body adiposity, however, has long been questioned (e.g. Flint et al., 1977; Hägar, 1981; Martin et al., 1985, 1994; Clarys et al., 1987; Marfell-Jones et al., 2003). Many investigators have demonstrated the difference in values for subcutaneous and/or whole-body adiposity predicted from skinfold measurement and those values predicted from other methods on the same subjects (e.g. Weits et al., 1986; Kuczmarski et al., 1987; Hayes et al., 1988; Stevens-Simon et al., 2001; Pontiroli et al., 2002; Snijder et al., 2002; Tothill and Stewart, 2002) resulting in reasonable unanimity that skinfold measurements are not consistently reliable predictors of whole-body adiposity, particularly in the large to obese subject.
