Health & Body Composition
Body Fat Skinfold Calculator
The gold-standard home method for body composition: three caliper measurements, the Jackson-Pollock equation, and your body fat percentage.
Skinfold body fat uses caliper measurements of subcutaneous fat at three sites — chest, abdomen and thigh for men; triceps, suprailiac and thigh for women, in the Jackson–Pollock equations to estimate body density and body fat percentage. Results are screening estimates, not diagnoses — confirm with a clinician before acting on them.
3-site Jackson-Pollock method.
Men: chest, abdomen, thigh.
Women: triceps, suprailiac, thigh.
Calculate Your Body Fat Skinfold
Your Body Fat
What Is Body Fat Skinfold?
Skinfold measurement is the classic field method for body composition: calipers pinch subcutaneous fat at defined sites, and the sum is converted to body density.
This calculator uses the Jackson-Pollock 3-site equations with the Siri conversion to body fat percentage. Retest every 4–6 weeks with the same calipers and tester to track trends.
How It Is Calculated
Men: D = 1.10938 − 0.0008267·S + 0.0000016·S² − 0.0002574·age
Women: D = 1.0994921 − 0.0009929·S + 0.0000023·S² − 0.0001392·age
Body fat % = 495 ÷ D − 450 (Siri)
Example: Example (man): chest 10 + abdomen 20 + thigh 18 = 48 mm at age 30 → ≈ 13.4% body fat
Measurement sites
| Site | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Chest | Diagonal fold, half-way nipple–armpit | — |
| Abdomen | Vertical fold 2 cm right of navel | — |
| Triceps | — | Vertical fold, back of arm |
| Suprailiac | — | Diagonal fold above hip bone |
| Thigh | Vertical fold, front of thigh | Vertical fold, front of thigh |
Limitations
- Technique-dependent: results vary between testers.
- Less accurate above ~35% body fat.
- Caliper quality matters, use a consistent, calibrated tool.
- DEXA remains more accurate where available.
How to Take a Skinfold Measurement
- Pinch the fold. Pinch skin and fat with thumb and forefinger, about 1 cm above the measurement site.
- Place the calipers. Place the caliper jaws perpendicular to the fold, 1 cm beside your fingers.
- Read within 2 seconds. Read the value within 2 seconds, before the tissue compresses, then release.
- Repeat and average. Take each site twice, average the readings, and use the same tester every time.
Sources & Review
References used for this calculator’s formulas and thresholds:
Body Fat Skinfold FAQ
How do I take a skinfold measurement?
Pinch the skin and fat with thumb and forefinger, place caliper jaws 1 cm beside the fingers perpendicular to the fold, and read within 2 seconds.
How accurate are skinfold calipers?
With practice and a consistent tester, 3-site calipers are within ±3–4% of DEXA, good enough to track change, which is what matters.
Which sites do I measure?
Men: chest, abdomen, thigh. Women: triceps, suprailiac, thigh. Take each site twice and average the readings.
How often should I retest?
Every 4–6 weeks, at the same time of day, by the same person, trends beat single readings.
A note before you begin: this tool offers educational estimates only. It cannot replace advice from your doctor or another qualified professional.