What is an abnormal tricep skinfold thickness?

What is an abnormal tricep skinfold thickness?

• A. Below the 5th percentile
• B. Above the 95th percentile
• C. Between 25th and 75th percentile
• D. At the 50th percentile

Answer: (A)

Subcutaneous fat is estimated with skinfold measurements and interpreted against reference percentile ranges. An abnormal value is one that falls in the tails of the distribution, signaling atypical fat stores. A thickness below the 5th percentile indicates unusually low subcutaneous fat, which can reflect energy deficit or wasting. Values above the 95th percentile would indicate excessive fat stores, which is another kind of abnormal, but the question focuses on the low end. Middle values (25th–75th percentile or the 50th percentile) are considered normal. Therefore, the abnormal tricep skinfold thickness is an amount below the 5th percentile.

Subcutaneous fat is estimated with skinfold measurements and interpreted against reference percentile ranges. An abnormal value is one that falls in the tails of the distribution, signaling atypical fat stores. A thickness below the 5th percentile indicates unusually low subcutaneous fat, which can reflect energy deficit or wasting. Values above the 95th percentile would indicate excessive fat stores, which is another kind of abnormal, but the question focuses on the low end. Middle values (25th–75th percentile or the 50th percentile) are considered normal. Therefore, the abnormal tricep skinfold thickness is an amount below the 5th percentile.