Changes In Skinfold Thickness Research Articles

Anthropometry profiles of elite rugby players: quantifying changes in lean mass

Objective: To demonstrate the utility of a practical measure of lean mass for monitoring changes in the body composition of athletes. Methods: Between 1999 and 2003 body mass and sum...

Validation of a skinfold based index for tracking proportional changes in lean mass

Background: The lean mass index (LMI) is a new empirical measure that tracks within-subject proportional changes in body mass adjusted for changes in skinfold thickness. Objective: To compare the ability...

Changes in anthropometrical characteristics during two years in 6 year old children

The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in anthropometrical characteristics during the last year (autumn-spring) in preschool and first year (autumn-spring) in school. Changes in anthropometrical characteristics during summer months were also studied (spring-autumn). The subjects were 130 boys and 122 girls, 6 years of age at the beginning of the investigation. The body height and mass were measured and the BMI (kg/m2) was calculated. In total, eight skinfolds, 10 girths and two bone widths were measured. In boys, the body height and mass were higher than in girls, while the skinfold thicknesses were thicker in girls. There were only very few significant differences between sexes in girth parameters. The width parameters were higher in boys. Our results indicated that there were more significant changes in skinfold thickness, girths and width parameters during winter in preschool in comparison with first year in school in boys, while there were only a very few significant changes during summer months in boys. In contrast, there were more significant changes in school in girls. The Spearman correlations between baseline and after 6, 12 and 18 months of study indicated that the tracking of body height was high in boys and girls. Body mass tracking was high in girls and moderate in boys, while BMI tracking was moderate in both groups. The tracking coefficients of skinfold thicknesses were relatively stable during the two years of study and mostly at the moderate level (r = 0.3-0.6). Tracking coefficients of girths measures were at moderate level, but lower in boys in comparison with girls. It was concluded that social changes and probably changes in the physical activity during transition from preschool to school slightly influenced the measured anthropometrical parameters.

Anthropometric characteristics of pregnant women in Cali, Colombia and relationship to birth weight.

Anthropometric dimensions were collected from 46 pregnant women living in Cali, Colombia to gain a better understanding of how poor, urban women deal with the demands of pregnancy and to identify relationships between maternal characteristics and infant birth weight. Height, weight, skinfold thicknesses (subscapular, suprailiac, thigh, calf, and triceps), and circumferences (hip, thigh, calf, and mid-upper arm) were measured on all women. Infant measurements were weight and length. The women were measured in the second and third trimesters, and a subsample (n = 16) was measured twice in the third trimester. Mean birth weight was 3,137.6 +/- 488.5 g (n = 44), and mean length was 49.8 +/- 3.0 cm. All but three of the infants were full-term, and the incidence of low birth weight (LBW) was 9%. The 46 women showed a significant increase in weight (P < 0.001); subscapular, suprailiac, and mid-thigh skinfold thicknesses (P < or = 0.01) and in hip, thigh, and calf circumferences (P < or = 0.01) between trimesters 2 and 3. Women who gave birth to both normal birth weight (NBW) and LBW infants showed significant increases in weight (P < 0.001 and P = 0.02, respectively), but only women who had NBW infants showed significant increases in the suprailiac skinfold and hip circumference (P < 0.001). In the third trimester, attained weight, skinfold thicknesses, and circumferences tended to be greater in women who had NBW infants. In general, this group of women gained less weight and had a greater incidence of LBW infants compared with women in developed countries, but changes in skinfold thicknesses over the course of pregnancy were similar compared with other studies.

Skinfold thickness varies directly with spring coefficient and inversely with jaw pressure.

The main aims of this study were to: 1) determine whether heavy use of Harpenden calipers caused deterioration of the spring coefficient (force per unit length), 2) to quantify the change in skinfold thickness per unit change in jaw closing (downscale) pressure, and 3) to develop a calibration range for these calipers. Part a) The change in spring force per unit length after at least 100,000 cycles of opening and closing five different springs was measured on a load cell. Part b) The dynamic downscale jaw pressure exerted by six pairs of Harpenden springs was measured on one caliper. Two were new pairs of springs (N1 and N2), two were 25-yr-old springs (O1 and O2), and two pairs (S1 and S2) had been used for less 1 yr. The six spring pairs were used to measure skinfold thicknesses at nine sites, in triplicate, on 20 subjects with the order of springs randomized and counterbalanced. Part c) The downscale jaw pressure of 78 Harpenden calipers was measured at eight jaw gaps. Part a) The springs did not change their characteristics after >100,000 cycles. Part b) At each skinfold site, the lowest thickness was recorded for S2 which exerted the highest jaw pressure (9.04 g x mm(-2)) and conversely the highest thickness was for N1 which exerted the lowest jaw pressure (8.02 g x mm(-2)). Increasing the downscale jaw closing pressure from 8.0 to 9.0 g x mm(-2) reduced a skinfold thickness by approximately 10%. Part c) The mean downscale jaw pressure was 7.82 +/- 0.25 g x mm(-2). In summary, it is suggested that if accurate skinfold measures between different Harpenden calipers are required, the downscale jaw pressure should be in the range of 7.40-7.82 and 7.85-8.21 g x mm(-2), at jaw gaps of 5 and 40 mm, respectively. These jaw pressures can be achieved by servicing the caliper pivot and indicator gauge to minimize frictional losses, adjusting the caliper jaw alignment, and by selecting springs that have a spring coefficient in the range 1.10-1.15 N x mm(-1).

Assessment of Sex Hormones and Bone Mineral Density in Relation to Occurrence of Fracture in Men: A Prospective Population-Based Study

Patients with fragility fractures have low bone mineral density (BMD)—this statement is supported mainly by data on women. In this study, including only men, the objectives were to determine whether a decline in BMD alone or in combination with data on male sex hormones and skinfold thickness could be of value in predicting forthcoming fractures. We also wanted to find out whether high consumers of alcohol can be identified by measuring BMDs and male sex hormones. A prospective, population-based study was performed in the city of Malmö, Sweden. 242 men were randomly selected; all were of Scandinavian ethnic background, and were aged 50, 60, 70, and 80 years. Forearm BMD, testosterone, sex-hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and skinfold thickness were analyzed. In addition, alcohol consumption and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT)—a marker of alcohol abuse—were analyzed. The study group was followed prospectively for 7 years and all fractures sustained were recorded. Prospectively, for a 1 SD decrease in forearm BMD, the Cox proportional hazard model gave a relative risk (RR) of 1.75 with a 95% confidence interval of 1.08–2.83 for a forthcoming fracture and 3.88 (1.30–11.57) for a hip fracture. For a 1 SD change in skinfold thickness, measured on the dorsum of the hand, a RR of 1.69 (0.99–2.87) for a forthcoming fracture was found and the corresponding value for hip fracture was 2.34 (1.10–5.00). Testosterone and SHBG did not enhance fracture prediction. Abusers of alcohol had, retrospectively, significantly more fractures. Individuals with alcohol consumption rates in the highest quartile had significantly higher CDT levels, but we were unable to identify high consumers of alcohol by analyzing BMD or sex hormones. In this study we found that forearm BMD and skinfold thickness could be used in predicting forthcoming fractures in men.

Treatment of radiation-induced growth hormone deficiency with growth hormone-releasing hormone.

In children with hypothalamic causes for GH deficiency there are theoretical reasons why a GHRH analogue might be better than conventional GH therapy in promoting growth. We have aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) (1-29)-NH2 given as a twice daily subcutaneous injection in the treatment of growth failure in children with radiation-induced GH deficiency. A multicentre study comparing growth before and after 1 year of treatment with GHRH (1-29)-NH2, 15 micrograms/kg twice daily, by subcutaneous injection in children with radiation-induced GH deficiency. On completion of the study year all children were treated with GH (0.5 U/kg/week) and growth parameters were documented over the next year. Nine children (six boys) with radiation-induced GH deficiency following cranial (n = 4) or craniospinal (n = 5) irradiation for a brain tumour distant from the hypothalamic-pituitary axis (n = 8) or prophylaxis against central nervous system leukaemia (n = 1) were studied. All were prepubertal when the study commenced, which was at least 2 years from radiotherapy. Anthropometry and pubertal staging were carried out at 3-monthly intervals and bone age estimations at 6-monthly intervals (TW2 method). Pretreatment standing height velocities were compared with values during the year of GHRH treatment and then after the first year of GH therapy. In those that had received craniospinal irradiation, a change in leg-length Standard deviation score (SDS) was noted before and after GHRH therapy. Changes in skin-fold thickness and bone age during the GHRH study year were documented. Adverse events and 3-monthly measurements of clinical chemistry, haematology, lipid profile and thyroid function were recorded. There was a significant increase in height velocity from 3.3 (SD 1.1) cm/year before treatment, to 6.0 (SDS 1.5) cm/year after 1 year of GHRH treatment (P = 0.004). GHRH maintained or improved the leg length SDS in children who had received craniospinal irradiation. Bone age increased by a mean of 1.1 years/chronological year during treatment with GHRH. Subsequent height velocity during 1 year of GH therapy was 7.5 (SD 1.5)cm/year. No adverse changes in biochemical or hormonal analyses were noted or adverse events that could be attributed to GHRH therapy. One child went into puberty during the GHRH study year and three were pubertal during the first year of GH therapy. In cranially irradiated children, GHRH was effective in increasing growth velocity but this was less than that seen in response to GH therapy, although it matched that in children with isolated idiopathic GH deficiency treated with the same dose and schedule of GHRH administration.

Comparison of the actions of kallidin and bradykinin in the skin of normal and psoriatic subjects

With the recent development of selective drugs acting on the kinin system and the identification of a kallikrein-like enzyme from psoriatic blister fluid, there is now much interest in the possible role of kinins in psoriasis. We have examined the time-course of the inflammatory (weal and flare) responses to intradermal kallidin (lysbradykinin) and bradykinin in normal volunteers, and have compared the dose-response effect of these agents in normal volunteers and patients with psoriasis. Initially, normal subjects (n = 5) received coded intradermal injections of 50 microliters normal saline containing kallidin or bradykinin (0.1, 0.5, 1.0 and 5.0 micrograms). Weal volume, weal area and flare area were calculated at 5, 15, 30 and 60 min by measuring two perpendicular diameters and change in skinfold thickness. Weal and flare measurements were subsequently made at 15 and 5 min, respectively. Patients with psoriasis (n = 9) and normal subjects (n = 10) were given intradermal injections of kallidin (0.1 and 1.0 microgram) and bradykinin (0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 microgram) in clinically normal forearm skin, using histamine and normal saline as controls. The dose-response effects of kallidin on weal and flare responses in human skin were established in the study and compared with those of bradykinin. There was wide inter-individual variability for both agents and, although mean responses to the highest doses of kallidin and bradykinin were decreased in psoriatic skin, no significant differences were found between the psoriatic and normal group for kallidin, bradykinin or histamine. Hence, there do not appear to be any obvious altered vascular responses to kallidin or bradykinin in patients with psoriasis, despite the fact that kinins may be generated in psoriatic tissue.

Reducing stress in piglets as a means of increasing production after weaning: administration of amperozide or co-mingling of piglets during lactation?

The aim of this experiment was to reduce piglet stress and improve performance following moving and mixing at weaning by use of the anti-aggressive drug amperozide and the practice of co-mingling piglets during lactation. Thirty-six piglets weaned at 29 days of age were allocated to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments as follows: (1) injection of 1 ml amperozide or placebo (0.9% saline) at the time of weaning, and (2) co-mingling or no comingling of piglets from day 10 of lactation to weaning. At weaning all piglets were injected with pliytohaemagglutinin or saline, their change in skin-fold thickness was measured 24 h later and behaviour was recorded every 5 min for the first 120 min after weaning. At 4 and 24 h after weaning the depth and extent of injuries were recorded. Daily live-weight gain, apparent voluntary food intake and food conversion ratio were not improved (P &gt; 0.05) by administration of amperozide or co-mingling of piglets during lactation. Cell-mediated immunity, as evidenced by a 0.17 proportional decrease (P &lt;; 0.001) in skin-fold thickness following the injection of phytohaemagglutinin, was decreased in piglets not given amperozide at weaning. Injection of amperozide caused a 0.26 proportional increase (P &lt; 0.001) in the amount of time piglets spent lying and caused piglets to display no interest in the feeder (P &lt; 0.001) in the first 2 h after weaning. Consequently piglets not given amperozide were more active, spent more time at the feeder and participated in more aggressive encounters (P &lt; 0.01). A significant interaction occurred between co-mingling and amperozide for mean injury score at both 4 (P &lt; 0.01) and 24 h (P &lt; 0.05) after weaning. When measured 4 h after weaning, co-mingling of piglets during suckling reduced mean injury score regardless of whether piglets were given amperozide or not at weaning. When piglets were not allowed to co-mingle during lactation, amperozide reduced mean injury score proportionately by around 0-44 (P &lt; 0.01) compared with piglets administered with saline. Despite the administration of amperozide and the practice of comingling causing a reduction in stress and an improvement in welfare in this experiment, there was no beneficial effect on performance in the first 2 weeks after weaning.

Effect of recreational exercise on pregnancy weight gain and subcutaneous fat deposition

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that continuing a regular regimen of recreational endurance exercise alters the time-specific rate of maternal weight gain and subcutaneous fat deposition during pregnancy. Serial measurements of body mass and 5-site skinfold thickness were obtained from 44 women before and during pregnancy who continued their preconceptional exercise regimen throughout pregnancy and from women who voluntarily stopped their preconceptional exercise regimen either before conception (N = 31) or reduced it below baseline fitness levels in very early pregnancy (N = 4). In the first and second trimester, the rate of weight gain and change in skinfold thicknesses were unrelated to exercise performance. However, those who continued exercise had a reduced rate of weight gain and change in skinfold thickness at specific sites in the last trimester of pregnancy. Overall weight gains were (mean +/- SEM) 13.0 +/- 0.5 kg and 16.3 +/- 0.7 kg in the exercise and control groups, respectively, and the increases in the sum of skinfolds were 22 +/- 2 mm and 31 +/- 2 mm, respectively. We conclude that continuing a regular exercise regimen throughout pregnancy does not influence the rate of early pregnancy weight gain or subcutaneous fat deposition but decreases both in late pregnancy. However, overall pregnancy weight gain remains well within the normal range.

Dissociation between skinfold thickness changes and growth of adipose tissue volume in children and youth.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether there is a divergence in the relationship between skinfold thickness and an adipose tissue volume (ATV) corresponding to the same segment of the body during growth. Anthropometric data from the cross-sectional Coquitlam Growth Study (COGRO) were used to estimate the ATV of the arm, calf, thigh, and trunk in 6- to 18 years old girls (n = 458) and boys (n = 487). Assuring a cylindrical shape for body segments, ATV was calculated by subtracting an inner cylinder of muscle, bone, and residual from the total cylindrical volume of a given segment. Combined graphical analysis of both skinfold growth and growth of ATV reveals that a decrease in skinfold can occur without a concomitant decrease in its corresponding regional ATV. This happens more dramatically in boys than in girls, and in the limbs than in the trunk. This suggests that exaggerated growth in length and/or muscle girth cause a "spreading" and "thinning" of the adipose tissue layer, which does not necessarily reflect fat loss. The meaning of changes in skinfold thicknesses during growth thus needs evaluation. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

ACUTE GASTROENTERITIS: EFFECT ON NUTRITIONAL STATUS

SUMMARYAnthropometric measurements were performed on admission and at four weeks post discharge on 25 adults referred to hospital with acute gastroenteritis. There was a significant change in weight (P &lt;0.001) and mid‐arm circumference (P &lt;0.05), but no change in skinfold thickness, arm muscle area or arm fat area. The results suggest that weight change during acute gastroenteritis is more a consequence of dehydration than of malnutrition.

Delayed type hypersensitivity is abnormal in patients with lichen planus

Lichen planus is characterized by the histological features of a cell-mediated attack on the epidermis. To see whether there is any defect in cutaneous immunity in non-lesional skin, we measured the response to a contact sensitizer in 17 patients with lichen planus and 27 control subjects. Sensitization was induced with 30 micrograms dinitrochlorobenzene applied to the thigh. The subjects were challenged 4 weeks later with three doses of dinitrochlorobenzene (8.8, 12.5 and 17.7 micrograms), and responses were quantified with calipers as the change in skinfold thickness at 48 h. Patients with lichen planus were significantly less responsive with smaller reactions at all challenge doses. These abnormalities suggest that the skin is abnormal in areas unaffected by the rash, and raise the possibility that there may be a primary defect in the cutaneous immune system in lichen planus.

Contact Sensitivity to Dinitrochlorobenzene Is Impaired in Atopic Subjects

If there is a primary dysfunction of the immune system in atopic eczema it might be reflected in altered capacity to generate delayed-type hypersensitivity. Therefore, the dose-response relationships for contact sensitization were determined for 22 patients (10 men) with minimal atopic eczema and compared with those from 27 nonatopic, healthy control subjects (12 men). Sensitization was induced with 30 micrograms of dinitrochlorobenzene applied to the thigh. Four weeks later the subjects were challenged with three doses of dinitrochlorobenzene (8.8, 12.5, and 17.7 micrograms), and responses were quantified with calipers as change in skinfold thickness at 48 hours. Atopic patients were significantly less responsive with smaller reactions at all challenge doses and a flatter challenge dose-response curve than that for control subjects. Thus, proper quantitative comparisons have shown that subjects with minimal atopic eczema do not mount a normal contact hypersensitivity response. However, it is not clear whether this is a consequence of the atopic state per se or is related to the presence of even a minor degree of eczema.

Contact dermatitis with negative patch tests: the additive effect of allergens in combination

We deduced on theoretical grounds that conventional patch testing would be inadequate for the detection of sensitivity to multiple allergens. Fourteen patients with positive patch tests to two unrelated allergens were studied and the response to those two allergens was measured when tested singly or in combination, using 10 different pair combinations from 15 common allergens. With serial dilutions in chloroform (14 patients) and paraffin (four patients), the response was related to the log-dose of the allergen, and change in skin-fold thickness corresponded well with clinical grading. Single allergens diluted below the threshold for a patch-test response gave a response when given in combination, the threshold for a response to one allergen being lowered by the presence of another. On the linear part of the dose-response curves the response to the mixture of allergens was additive, the combined response being the sum of the individual components. Approaching the plateau region the response to the combination was greater than to the individual allergens but less than the sum of the single responses. The same results were obtained with allergens in paraffin. We conclude that conventional single allergen patch testing by itself is inadequate for the diagnosis of contact dermatitis.

Effect of substituting spray-dried plasma protein for milk products in starter pig diets (1990)

Two growth trials utilizing 444 weaned pigs were conducted to determine the efficacy of substituting spray-dried porcine plasma protein (PP) for dried skim milk (DSM) and/or dried whey (DW) in starter pig diets. Trial 1 was a field study in which 240 pigs were fed either a control diet containing 20% DSM and 20% DW during phase I (0 to 14 d postweaning) and 15% DW and 5% select menhaden fishmeal in phase II (14 to 28 d postweaning) of the 28 d trial. Plasma protein was substituted on a lysine basis for DSM in the phase I diet and for DW in the phase IT diet. Diets were isolactose in both phases. Pigs fed the diets containing PP grew faster and consumed more feed from d 0 to 7 than pigs fed the control. However, pigs fed the control diet compensated during wk 2 to achieve equal performance during phase 1. No treatment differences were detected during phase II or in overall performance. In Trial 2, 204 pigs were allotted to one of the following treatments: 1) control diet containing 20% DSM and 20& DW, 2) as 1 with casein replacing soybean meal (lysine basis; all milk protein), 3) as 1 with PP and lactose replacing 20% DSM (lysine and lactose basis), 4) as 3 with starch replacing lactose (wt/wt), 5) as 1 with PP and lactose replacing DSM and DW (lysine and lactose basis), 6) as 5 with starch replacing lactose, 7) corn-soybean meal plus 20% DW Pigs fed diets containing PP grew faster and consumed more feed than pigs fed the control, casein, or 20% DW diets from 0 to 14 d postweaning. Similarly, overall gains were significantly greater for pigs fed PP than pigs fed the control, casein, and DW diets. Also, pigs fed PP consumed greater quantities of feed over the entire trial than those pigs fed the control or casein diets. Serum was collected on d 13 and analyzed for blood urea nitrogen. Blood urea N was higher for pigs fed PP, indicating that the amino acids in PP are more available to the pig, but not all are utilized for protein synthesis. Skinfold thickness was measured on d 7 following intradermal injections of protein extracts of PP soybean meal and DSM; these data indicate that PP and DSM cause extremely small changes in skinfold thickness compared to soybean proteins. Based on the results

The physical characteristics of the members during the International Biomedical Expedition to the Antarctic.

Twelve male medical scientists formed the International Biomedical Expedition to the Antarctic (IBEA). Their physical characteristics and maximum oxygen uptakes (VO2max) were measured in association with three series of thermal tolerance tests in Sydney, twice before and once after going to the Antarctic. In the Antarctic they lived in tents and spent 15 days travelling by motor toboggan. Their body mass (BM) and skinfold thickness (SFT) were measured four times during the 69 days the expedition spent in the field. The characteristics of the group were (ranges): age 26-52 years, height 1680-1889 mm, BM 58.5-103.4 kg, fatness 16-34% BM and VO2max 33-49 ml X kg-1 X min-1. In the Antarctic 9 men lost between 0.7 and 5.5 kg (mean 2.7 kg) of BM with a decrease in SFT, whilst 2 men increased BM by 1.2 and 1.9 kg without change in SFT. One man retired early from the expedition. BM and SFT were regained and physical fitness lost during the return voyage to Australia. Consequently there was no difference in average SFT between the pre- and post-Antarctic laboratory tests, but BM was greater after the Antarctic implying gains in fat free mass. VO2max was lower in the final laboratory tests than in the tests before Antarctica.

Mechanism of anthralin inflammation. I. Dissociation of response to clobetasol and indomethacin.

The effect of topical clobetasol propionate and a 1% topical indomethacin gel which could inhibit UV erythema was measured on anthralin inflammation by change in skin-fold thickness and erythema. The time course of the inflammatory oedema and erythema were different, as was their response to the drugs studied. The oedema of anthralin inflammation was completely inhibited by clobetasol propionate but the erythemal response showed a small and non-significant reduction. Indomethacin had no effect on anthralin oedema but produced a small but significant reduction in erythema in the first 24 h after anthralin application. These results suggest that either anthralin inflammation is not due to production of prostenoids, or that if it is, it occurs by other than the classical enzymic pathway.

Longitudinal serum lipoprotein changes in white males during adolescence: The Bogalusa Heart Study

Determinants of follow-up levels of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and the ratio of LDL-C to HDL-C were analyzed in a longitudinal study. White boys (n - 81) aged 11 to 12 years, when examined in 1973–1974 (year 1) were reexamined in 1978–1979 (year 6) at ages 16 to 17 years. During follow-up, mean levels of LDL-C increased from 87.6 mg/dL to 89.8 mg/dL, mean levels of HDL-C decreased from 67.0 mg/dL to 48.4 mg/dL and the mean LDL-C HDL-C ratio increased from 1.45 to 2.12. Cross-sectional associations between the serum lipoproteins and weight, triceps skinfold thickness, and ponderosity (wt/ht 3) were stronger in year 6 than in year 1. A persistence of ranks was observed between year 1 and year 6 for LDL-C ( r= 0.61), HDL-C ( r = 0.51), and LDL-C HDL-C ( r = 0.50). Multiple linear regression indicated that year 6 LDL-C levels were positively related to year 1 LDL-C, year 1 Tanner stage (an indication of sexual maturation), and the change in skinfold thickness during follow-up. Follow-up LDL-C HDL-C was related both to change in height (negatively) and to change in weight (positively), after controlling for year 1 LDL-C HDL-C . These longitudinal findings were similar to those obtained from earlier cross-sectional analyses and were furtehr verified on an independent cohort of white boys also followed for five years (1976–1977 through 1981–1982). These observations indicate that white boys with elevated LDL-C HDL-C levels who have large weight increases and minimal height increases during adolescence may be at high risk of developing coronary heart disease in adulthood.

Comparisons of Ultrasonic Apparatus and Caliper in Measuring Skinfold Thickness of School Children

In this study, we compared the skinfold thickness values in the school children measured by a caliper with those obtained by an ultrasonic apparatus.The results demonstrated a linear relationship between the two methods.Conclusions are summarized as follows ; 1) There is a linear relationship between the value of skinfold thickness measured by caliper and that by ultrasonic apparatus. 2) This high correlation is seen not only in normal children but also in obese children. 3) Caliper measuring, easy to use and cheap, is suitable to judge the effectiveness of a therapeutic regimen for obese children, in which frequent measurements are required. 4) In judging the effectiveness of a regimen for obese children, accurate data on changes in skinfold thickness are needed.As shown above, measurement of skinfold thickness by caliper remains an important method in judging the effectiveness of kinesitherapy and alimento therapy for obese children.