Calipers vs DEXA Scan: What’s the Best Way to Track Body Fat?

If you’ve ever had someone pinch your skin with calipers at the gym to check your body fat, you’re not alone. While skinfold calipers are a common tool for estimating body fat, they only tell part of the story — and often not a very accurate one.

In contrast, a DEXA scan provides a full, detailed picture of your body composition.

What Are Skinfold Calipers for body fat?

Skinfold calipers are used to pinch and measure fat under the skin at different points on your body — usually at 3, 5, or 7 specific sites. A trainer or coach then uses those numbers in a formula to estimate your total body fat percentage.

It’s a quick and low-cost method, but accuracy can vary wildly based on:

• The skill of the person using the calipers

• The number of sites measured

• How consistent the technique is over time

What is a DEXA Scan?

A DEXA scan (Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) is a clinical-grade body composition scan. It uses low-dose X-ray technology to measure:

• Total body fat %

• Lean muscle mass

• Bone density

• Visceral fat (fat around your organs)

• Fat distribution (where you store fat)

It’s painless, fast (7 minutes), and extremely accurate — which is why it’s used in hospitals, research labs, and elite sports.

Click here to find out what to expect from a DEXA Scan.

DEXA vs Calipers: What’s the Difference?

Here’s a simple side-by-side comparison:

Feature	DEXA Scan	Skinfold Calipers
Accuracy	✅ Very high	⚠️ Variable, user-dependent
Consistency	✅ Excellent	⚠️ Can vary scan to scan
Fat %	✅ Precise measurement	⚠️ Estimation
Muscle Mass	✅ Measured directly	❌ Not measured
Visceral Fat	✅ Yes	❌ No
Bone Density	✅ Yes	❌ No
Fat Distribution	✅ Full-body map	❌ No
Ease of Use	✅ Passive scan	⚠️ Can feel awkward or uncomfortable
Useful for Progress Tracking?	✅ Ideal	⚠️ Only if done perfectly every time

What Calipers Can’t Tell You (But DEXA Can)

Even if calipers give you a rough estimate of fat percentage, they miss critical insights that can impact your health and performance:

1. Where You’re Storing Fat

Calipers only look at a few points — they don’t show if fat is concentrated around the abdomen (a risk factor for heart disease).

DEXA provides a full breakdown, including android vs gynoid fat ratio.

2. Visceral Fat

This is the dangerous fat around your internal organs. It doesn’t show up with calipers — but DEXA scans detect it and flag early warning signs.

3. Muscle Distribution

Calipers don’t measure muscle at all. DEXA scans show how much lean mass you have in each area (arms, legs, trunk) — useful for athletes, lifters, or anyone working on symmetry.

4. Bone Health

DEXA is the only body comp method that also assesses bone density — crucial for preventing osteoporosis as you age.

So, Are Calipers Useless?

Not entirely. Calipers can be handy for a quick check-in if:

• You’re working with an experienced coach

• You only need a rough idea of body fat

• You’re using them consistently under the same conditions

But if you’re investing time, effort, and money into improving your health or physique — you deserve real data, not guesswork.

Are you interested in getting a DEXA scan? Click the button below to book.

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