Box for Harpenden Skinfold Calipers
Box for Harpenden Skinfold Calipers
- Object Number:
- 1995-312 Pt1
- type:
- box
Skinfold callipers for estimating body fat, England, 1954-1960
- maker:
- British Indicators Limited
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Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Skinfold calipers for measuring subcutaneous tissue thickness
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Skinfold calipers for measuring subcutaneous tissue thickness in estimation of body fat for anthropometric population studies, as used in the Harpenden Growth Study, and tested by the MRC Committee on Growth and Form, owned by FP Ellis, with instructions and table of log transformation of measurements, made by British Indicators Ltd., St. Albans, Herts, 1954-1960.
Callipers are used to estimate body fat by measuring the thickness of tissue directly under the skin. These callipers were used during the Harpenden Growth Study (1948-1970), which looked at the growth of children from a children’s home in Harpenden in Hertfordshire. The study monitored them from pre-school to maturity.
The callipers were tested and used by the Medical Research Council’s (MRC) Committee on Growth and Form, set up in 1951. The aim was to gather scientific data about the human body, establish norms for weight and height for different ages and sections of society and identify those factors which affect the rate of growth.
Details
- Category:
- Psychology, Psychiatry & Anthropometry
- Object Number:
- 1995-312
- Materials:
- metal (unknown), glass, steel (metal) and plastic (unidentified)
- Measurements:
-
depth: 134mm
height: 40mm
weight: 0.482kg
weight: 1.06263lbs
width: 265mm
overall (lying flat): 40 mm x 257 mm x 135 mm, 0.482 kg
- type:
- callipers
- credit:
- Contemporary Medical Archives Centre
Parts
Instructions and Table of Log Transformations of Skinfold measurements
Instructions for Harpenden Skinfold Calipers and Table of Log Transformations of Skinfold measurements, typewritten, MRC, Hampstead, London, 1954-1960.
- Object Number:
- 1995-312 Pt2
- type:
- instructions, log table
Skinfold callipers for estimating body fat, England, 1954-1960
Skinfold calipers for measuring subcutaneous tissue thickness in estimation of body fat for anthropometric population studies, as used in the Harpenden Growth Study, and tested by the MRC Committee on Growth and Form, owned by FP Ellis, made by British Indicators Ltd., St. Albans, Herts, 1954-1960.
More
Callipers are used to estimate body fat by measuring the thickness of tissue directly under the skin. These callipers were used during the Harpenden Growth Study (1948-1970), which looked at the growth of children from a children’s home in Harpenden in Hertfordshire. The study monitored them from pre-school to maturity.
The callipers were tested and used by the Medical Research Council’s (MRC) Committee on Growth and Form, set up in 1951. The aim was to gather scientific data about the human body, establish norms for weight and height for different ages and sections of society and identify those factors which affect the rate of growth.
- Materials:
- metal (unknown) , glass , steel (metal) and plastic (unidentified)
- Object Number:
- 1995-312 Pt3
- type:
- callipers
