Predicting Body Fat from Girth
Measuring body fat percentage is an easy method of discovering correct body weight and composition. Beneath the skin is a layer of subcutaneous fat, and the percentage of total body fat can be measured by taking the girth measurements at selected points on the body with a measuring tape.
Measurement Sites
Depending on your age and gender, three body measurements can determine your body fat percentage.
| Age (years) | Gender | Site A | Site B | Site C |
| 18 - 26 | Male | Right Upper Arm | Abdomen | Right Forearm |
| Female | Abdomen | Right Thigh | Right Forearm | |
| 27 - 50 | Male | Hips | Abdomen | Right Forearm |
| Female | Abdomen | Right Thigh | Right Calf |
The measurement sites are as follows:
|
Method
The method is as follows:
- Based on your age range and gender, determine the required three measurement sites from the table above
- Record the measurements in centimetres of these three sites (A, B, C)
- Use the calculator below to determine your percentage of body fat
The calculations are based on McArdle et al. (2000)[2]
Reliability
Reliability would depend upon how strict the test is conducted and the individual's level of motivation to perform the test.
Validity
It is not a good predictor of body fat percentage but can be used to indicate body composition changes over time.
Typical Scores
The average man has 15 to 17% body fat, while the average woman is between 18 and 22%. Typical scores for elite athletes (Wilmore 1994)[1] are 6% to 12% for men and 12% to 20% for women. The following table details the percentage of body fat for male and female athletes for various sports.
| Sport | Male | Female |
| Baseball | 12-16% | 12-19% |
| Basketball | 6-12% | 20-28% |
| Canoeing | 6-12% | 10-16% |
| Cycling | 5-14% | 15-20% |
| Field Hockey | 8-14% | 12-18% |
| Gymnastics | 5-13% | 10-16% |
| Rowing | 6-14% | 12-19% |
| Swimming | 9-13% | 14-24% |
| Tennis | 12-15% | 16-24% |
| Track - Jumpers | 7-11% | 10-18% |
| Track - Runners | 8-10% | 12-19% |
| Track - Throwers | 14-20% | 20-27% |
| Triathlon | 5-11% | 10-15% |
| Volleyball | 11-14% | 16-24% |
References
- WILMORE, J.H. and COSTILL, D.L. (1994) Physiology of sport and exercise. Human Kinetics, Champaign, Illinois
- McARDLE, W.D. et al. (2000) Essentials of Exercise Physiology, 2nd ed. Lippincott: Williams & Wilkin, Appendix F
Page Reference
If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:
- MACKENZIE, B. (2007) Predicting Body Fat from Girth [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/fatgirth.htm [Accessed