Assessment of inter- and intra-tester reliability of skinfold measurements taken by University of Hawai`i graduate students

Abstract

Body composition studies are dependent on the accuracy and precision of testers making specific measurements. Skinfold thickness is a commonly used method for determining body composition; its reliability depends on the ability of testers to make accurate and reproducible measurements. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of graduate student researchers in the University of Hawaii at Manoa Department of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Science to make consistent skinfold thickness (ST) measurements, both as individuals and as a group. Five graduate student researchers (testers) took ST measurements on 70 participants. Inter- and intra-tester reliability were determined using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and standard error of measurements (SEM). The results of this study will be used to validate the skinfold measurements taken in future body composition studies conducted by the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Science. The group of testers proved to be reliable (ICC=0.99, SEM= 4.7mm). Four of the five testers proved to have internal consistency (ICC= 0.97-0.99, SEM= 0.5-0.8mm). These four testers can produce reliable ST measures for future body composition studies.