The skinfold method is considered by many to be the choice of the body composition methods. The procedure is quite simple. Several site on the body are measured in this manner. There are a number of sites on the body that can be measured. There are also a number of specific protocols that can be used.
Protocols range from two sites measured to as many as seven.
The principle governing skinfold assessment assumes that subcutaneous fat makes up one-half of the fat in the body. Measuring the circumference of certain areas of the body makes this method quite simple. The principle governing bioelectrical impedance is that fatty tissue is not as good a conductor of an electrical current as lean tissue. Therefore, the more fat one has the longer it takes for an electrical current to travel through the body. The problem with this method has to do with the hydration of the body.