Other then water displacement, what is the most accurate way to measure body fat percentage?

I'm currently using the tape measurement method by calculating your weight, height, abdominal and neck size and i'm at 23 %. I don't look 23% so I'm just wondering how accurate these test are.

Public Comments

1. Yes, the tape measure method is more of a statistical average rather than an actual measurement. It raises questions of whether you have large neck muscles or whether you are carrying body fat around your neck. Water displacement isn't always all that accurate. If the person being tested isn't able to exhale all of their breath for example. Other things that can through off the test include a person have a high level of intestinal gas at the time of the test. Even what the person has eaten will effect the test. If the person eats food which floats before hand, and has a tendancy to produce "floaters" after digestion is complete, then that will register as being fat rather than muscle. Skin fold calipers are a less expensive but still fairly accurate method of testing body fat levels. You can read more about this method here: http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/bodyfatarticle.php This article uses the 7 site method of calculating, but many use a 4 site measurement. If your employer has a Wellness Coordinator they may be trained to properly measure and calculate your body fat for you. (My employer offers this as a free service to employees.) Your local gym probably has someone on staff who will do these measurements for you. (Usually for an additional cost.) The drawback to the skin fold method is that some people carry a high percentage of body fat around their internal organs, but don't carry much fat below the skin surface. The test won't be so accurate for them. But for the average person the skin fold method is within 2 to 4 % of accuracy.
2. skin fold measurements using calipers are the most accurate, but bioelectical impedance can also be an accurate way to do it if you follow the directions right, and more accurate then the skinfold unless you have been taught how to properly skinfold someone, because it takes practice to be accurate.