Durnin-Womersley Body Fat (4 sites)
About this method
Best suited for beginners, sedentary individuals, and the general population. Validated across all age groups and both sexes. For people with 1–3 years of training, combine with Jackson-Pollock (7-site) — the average of both results is more reliable than either alone. Not recommended for athletes with 3+ years of consistent training — this formula underreports body fat by 3–5%. The more training experience, the greater the error. Athletes with 5+ years of training and body fat below 15% for men / below 22% for women should use the Body Fat (9-Site) which is specifically designed for trained individuals with low body fat. For athletes with higher body fat levels, average the results of this method and Jackson-Pollock 7-site instead.
How to measure skinfolds:
- Use calipers for accurate measurements
- Measure on the right side of the body
- Grasp only skin and subcutaneous fat
- Take 2-3 measurements and use the average
- Most accurate when each individual skinfold does not exceed 120mm