skinfold thickness

skinfold thickness [AS, scinn + fealden + thicce] , a measure of the amount of subcutaneous fat, obtained by inserting a fold of skin into the jaws of a caliper. The skinfolds are usually measured on the upper arm, thigh, or upper abdomen, and the caliper measurements are later compared with precalibrated standard tables to assess an individual’s body fat content indirectly.