Measurement, recording, and assessment of skinfold thickness in childhood and adolescence: report of a small meeting

Abstract

The National Center for Health Statistics pooled skinfold thickness measurements of some 20,000 children age 1 to 17 yr in the United States and developed smoothed percentiles to serve as reference data. In this report, the populations represented in these percentiles and the techniques used in merging sets of data collected over time (1963 to 1974) in these populations are described. It is emphasized that the percentiles describe the skinfold thicknesses of American children and adolescents and should not be considered “norms” or “standards.” Techniques for measuring skinfold thickness in the clinical setting are outlined so that measurements obtained are comparable to those represented in the percentiles. It is considered inappropriate to conclude that a skinfold thickness above or below some arbitrary percentile is unacceptable because available information is inadequate to define risks of relative fatness. Finally, it is suggested that skinfold thickness should probably not be used as a routine screening measurement in well-child care.