Anthropometric Measures can be used to evaluate nutritional status. Anthropometry is also used for estimating body composition in a clinical settings. Skinfold measurement are made by grasping the skin and underlying tissue, shaking it to exclude any muscle pinching it between the jaws of the caliper.
Skinfold measurements are ways to indirectly determining percent body fat.
Duplicate readings are often made at each site to improve the accuracy and reproducibility of the measurements. Often to save time in large population studies, a single skinfold site measurement is made to reduce the time involved. Such a test should be used only for a rough estimate of obesity. Generally speaking, skinfold measurements are easy to do, inexpensive and the method is portable. Overall, results can be very subjective as precision ultimately depends on the skill of the technician and the site measured.