A hand-held manual instrument designed to assess body fat in subcutaneous adipose tissue by measuring, using mechanical means, the thickness of folds of skin gathered at various areas of the body (typically that on the posterior aspect of the upper arm or on the thighs, back, or over the lower ribs of the chest). It is typically made of metal and/or plastic and is available in various shapes; it includes moveable arms/jaws, typically spring-loaded for even pressure, for application to the skinfolds and has a graduated scale for skinfold-thickness indication. It may include an auxiliary graduated scale to facilitate fine adjustment and increase measurement accuracy (i.e., vernier callipers).