UNIVERSITY OF BENIN, BENIN CITY, EDO STATE

FACULTY OF EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN KINETICS AND SPORTS SCIENCE

ASSIGNMENT
SUBCUTANEOUS FATTY TISSUE (SFT): SKINFOLD MEASUREMENT AND
DETERMINATION OF SOMATOTYPE .

AND

BODY COMPOSITION AND SPORT PERFORMANCE

BY
EBAMONLEN EHIZONAGA ERNEST
SUBCUTANEOUS FATTY TISSUE (SFT): SKINFOLD MEASUREMENT AND
DETERMINATION OF SOMATOTYPE .

BODY COMPOSITION AND SPORT PERFORMANCE

Subcutaneous fat (also called subcutaneous fatty tissue) is the layer of fat located directly
beneath the skin.

It lies between the skin (dermis) and the muscle layer.

Functions of subcutaneous fat

 Energy storage — it serves as a reserve of energy for the body.

 Insulation — helps regulate body temperature by conserving heat.

 Protection — cushions and protects underlying muscles, bones, and organs.

 Hormone production — produces substances like leptin (which regulates hunger and
energy balance).

Composition

Made up of fat cells (adipocytes),

connective tissue,

blood vessels, and

nerves.
Distribution

The amount and location vary by age, sex, genetics, and lifestyle.

Common sites of accumulation:

Abdomen

Thighs

Hips

Triceps (back of upper arm)

SKINFOLD MEASUREMENT

Skinfold measurement is a method used to estimate body fat percentage by measuring the
thickness of folds of skin and underlying subcutaneous fat at specific body sites using a
tool called a skinfold caliper.

It is non-invasive, inexpensive, and widely used in fitness, sports science, and human
kinetics.
Skinfold Caliper
Principle

Subcutaneous fat represents a proportion of total body fat.

By measuring skinfold thickness at various sites and you can estimate total body fat
percentage using equations.

Common skinfold measurement sites

For men (common 3-site or 7-site methods)

Chest

Abdomen

Thigh

Triceps

Subscapular

Suprailiac

Midaxillary

For women

Triceps

Suprailiac

Thigh

Abdomen

Subscapular

Chest
Midaxillary

Procedure

1. Identify the site (e.g., triceps — back of upper arm).

2. Pinch the skinfold — using thumb and forefinger to grasp skin and fat (not
muscle).

3. Apply calipers about 1 cm below the fingers.

4. Read the measurement after about 1–2 seconds (in millimeters).

5. Repeat 2–3 times and take the average.

Skinfold formulas

The measurements are entered into formulas (e.g. Jackson & Pollock, Durnin &
Womersley) to estimate body density, then converted to body fat % using an equation
like Siri’s formula:

\text{Body fat \%} = \frac{495}{\text{Body density}} - 450

Advantages

 Quick and inexpensive

 Portable (calipers are easy to carry)

 Useful for tracking changes over time

Limitations

 Accuracy depends on:

Skill of the person taking the measurement

  Quality of calipers

The specific population (formulas differ by age, sex, ethnicity)

Example:

A coach measures:

Triceps = 15 mm

Suprailiac = 20 mm

Thigh = 25 mm

These values are entered into an equation to estimate body fat %.

DETERMINATION OF SOMATOTYPE

Somatotype is a system of classifying human physique or body type into three

components:

1. Endomorphy – relative fatness

2. Mesomorphy – relative musculoskeletal (muscle/bone) robustness

3. Ectomorphy – relative linearity or slenderness

Each person’s somatotype is expressed as three numbers (e.g., 3-5-2), representing these
Components respectively.
How is somatotype determined?

It is determined using anthropometric measurements:

Stature (height)

Body mass (weight)

Skinfolds (e.g. triceps, subscapular, supraspinale)

Bone breadths (e.g. humerus, femur breadth)

Limb girths (e.g. flexed arm, calf)

CALCULATING BODY FAT%

Using regression equations like jackson & Pollock (1978) and Siri (1961)

Jackson AS, Pollock Ml. Feneraliz equations for predicting body density of men. Br J
Nutr 1978;40(3): 497 – 504.
Siri WE. Body composition fluid spces and density : analysis of methods . Techniques for
measuring body composition 1961:61:223 – 224.

% body fat = (0.29288 *Sum of Skin fold) = (0.0005* Square of the sum of skinfolds) +
(0.15845( age) – 5376377, where the skinfold sites (mm) are abdominal, triceps, thigh
and suprilliac

Required Measurement

To calculate somatotyppe via Health - Carter method:

Component Measurements Used

Endomorphy triceps, Subscapular, supraspinale skinfolds (mm)

Mesomorphy Humeerus and femur breadths (cm), corrected lim

circumferences (flexed arm, calf)

Ectomorphy height (cm) and weight (kg)

Example Equations (Simplified)

Endomorphy (Carter, 2002):

Endomorphy=−0.7182+0.1451(x)−0.00068(x2)+0.0000014(x3)\text{Endomorphy} = -
0.7182 + 0.1451(x) - 0.00068(x^2) + 0.0000014(x^3)

Where:

x=sum of triceps + subscapular + supraspinale skinfolds (mm)height in cm×100x = \

frac{\text{sum of triceps + subscapular + supraspinale skinfolds (mm)}}{\text{height in
cm}} \times 100
Ectomorphy:

If HWR (Height / cube root of weight) > 40.75:

Ectomorphy=0.732×HWR−28.58\text{Ectomorphy} = 0.732 \times HWR - 28.58

Where HWR = Height (cm) / Weight (kg)^(1/3)

e.g

HWR =

e.g H = 180

w = 70

... = = 43.7

Mesomorphy:

Mesomorphy=(0.858×humerusbreadth)+(0.601×femurbreadth)
+(0.188×correctedarmgirth)+(0.161×correctedcalfgirth)−(height×0.131)+4.5\
text{Mesomorphy} = (0.858 \times humerus breadth) + (0.601 \times femur breadth) +
(0.188 \times corrected arm girth) + (0.161 \times corrected calf girth) - (height \times
0.131) + 4.5

Corrected girths = circumference - (skinfold × π)

For example

Corrected arm girth =

BODY COMPOSITION

AND SPORT PERFORMANCE

Body composition refers to the proportion of different components that make up the
human body. It gives a clearer picture of physical makeup than body weight alone.

Main components of body composition

1. Fat mass (FM)

The total mass of all the fat in the body.

Includes essential fat (needed for life) + storage fat (extra fat)

2. Fat-free mass (FFM)

Everything else: muscles, bones, organs, water, connective tissues.

Sometimes divided further into:

Lean body mass (LBM) = FFM + essential fat

Bone mass

Body water

Why measure body composition?

To assess health and nutritional status

To design training and diet programs

To monitor changes in muscle and fat during growth, aging, or exercise

To identify risk of diseases (e.g., obesity, sarcopenia)

Methods of assessing body composition

 Skinfold measurement (uses calipers to estimate subcutaneous fat)

 Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) (passes a small electrical current)

 DEXA (Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) (accurate; measures bone, fat, lean mass)

 Hydrostatic weighing (underwater weighing)

 Air displacement (BodPod)

Common body composition models

2-component model:

Fat mass + Fat-free mass

4-component model:

Fat mass + water + bone mineral + protein

Healthy body fat percentage (general guidelines)

Group Essential fat Acceptable fat Overfat/Obese

Men 2–5% 10–20% >25%

Women 10–13% 18–30% >32%

 (Values vary with age, sport, and population)

Key points

Body composition is better than BMI for evaluating health.

Two people with the same weight can have very different body composition!

Regular assessment helps in tracking fitness goals.

BODY COMPISITION IN SPORT PERFORMANCE

In sports performance, body composition refers to the balance of fat mass and fat-free
mass (muscle, bone, water) that contributes to an athlete’s ability to perform optimally in
their sport.

It's not just about being “lean” or “muscular”—it's about having the right composition for
the demands of the sport.

Why body composition matters in sport

1. Influences strength-to-weight ratio — Key for sports requiring speed, agility, and
power (e.g., gymnastics, sprinting).

2. Affects endurance * Excess fat mass can reduce efficiency in endurance sports like
distance running or cycling.

3. Determines buoyancy and resistance — Important in water sports (e.g., swimming,

rowing).
 4. Impacts aesthetics & judging In sports like bodybuilding, gymnastics, figure
skating, diving.

5. Plays a role in weight-category sports — Combat sports (boxing, wrestling) or

rowing (lightweight vs. heavyweight).

Examples of ideal body composition in sports

Sport Fat % Men Fat % Women Notes

Marathon running 5-12% 12-20% Low fat for efficiency

Sprinting 6-12% 12-20% Lean + high muscle mass

Gymnastics 5-12% 10-18% Lean, strong, flexible

Rowing 8-15% 12-20% Higher muscle mass for p

ower

Football (varies by position) 8-20% N/A Linemen may carry more

fat mass

Wrestling / boxing 5-12% 12-20% Lean for weight category

advantage

Key points for sports performance

 Athletes need to balance low fat mass (for agility, speed, endurance) with adequate
fat (for energy reserves and health).

 High lean mass (muscle + bone) is crucial for power sports.

 Extreme low fat can harm health (e.g., hormonal imbalance, fatigue).
  Body composition should be sport-specific — what is ideal for a sprinter is not
ideal for a sumo wrestler.

 Final note:

Body composition is just one part of performance. Skill, strategy, mental toughness, and
training also play huge roles!

References

Heath BH, Carter JEL. A modified somatotype method. Am J Phys Anthropol.

1967;27(1):57–74.

Jackson AS, Pollock ML. Generalized equations for predicting body density of men. Br J
Nutr. 1978;40(3):497–504.

Carter JEL. The Heath-Carter anthropometric somatotype: instruction manual. 2002.

Siri WE. Body composition from fluid spaces and density: analysis of methods. 1961.

ISAK Manual. International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry.

International Standards for Anthropometric Assessment. 2001.