Antheia that's crazy! THe American Navy do a caliper skinfold test on anyone, either sex, who has a BMI over what they consider acceptable, and never turn down purely on weight - they WANT strong muscular types! I can't believe they just kept weighing him and didn't do a bodyfat analysis.
Some of it is down to bodytype (somatotype). You get ectomorphs, mesomorphs and endomorphs.
Ectomorphs tend to be small and light and do not gain fat or muscle easily. Many top-class runners are ectomorphs. The body tends to be shortish with long limbs and slim, athletic look.
Mesomorphs tend to be hourglass (women) or rectangular (men) in shape and have large heavy bones and a high proportion of muscle mass. They look athletic, but heavier. Tennis players are a good example, or rowers, big sturdy bodies but hardly any fat.
Endomorphs tend to be apple (men, sometimes women) or pear (women) shaped and gain fat easily as they have a naturally efficient digestive system and higher number of fat cells. They are better suited to endurance swimming-type events. David Wallaims (the Little Britain comedian, who has also swum the english channel) is an endomorph.
None of those are absolutes. I'm an endomorph but when i'm slim (i.e. when i'm carrying the right amount of weight for my body) i look a bit more mesomorphic (hourglass), and once i HAVE the extra muscle i find it easier to keep my fat %age down, though i do have to continually work at it. My DP is a mesomorph - he eats MASSES and can gain fat but he only has to LOOK at weights and his muscles grow. His thighs are to die for, OMG, the spin classes and bodypump have made them huge.
The somatotype is considered to be outdated in physiology because some silly people did studies to see if certain types were more likely to be suicidal or criminals (and drew mainly blanks or at least got questionable results) but i still look around my gym and see these body types.
Being endomorphic doesn't mean one will be fat, though it is easier for us to gain fat than for an ectomorph, ectomorphs CAN get fat if they work at it. My Bodypump classes are taught by two women, Sharon is an Endomorph and VERY fit, carries a bit of weight but is in no way fat and is VERY powerful, and Leanne is an ectomorph, tiny, light and lifts her OWN WEIGHT for the squat track, even though to look at her thighs you'd think she only does distance running as she's so lean, but there she is lifting masses several times every week.
I think it can be useful to know because it helps us with aptitudes. Like i enjoy my running and like to run, but i know it's unlikely i'll ever be any kind of running athlete - i doubt i could get sub 50minutes for a 10k without a LOT of prefessional type training. Put me in a pool however and i can really tear it up even when i'm out of shape. When i first learned about the somatotypes i felt annoyed as it's hard to hear "it will always be easiest for you to gain fat" but now i try to see it as my body is the most adaptable. Yeah, sure, i gain fat easily, but i have a lot of endurance for all that and i CAN gain muscle if i work at it. If i were a horse people would be FIGHTING over me - a horse that can perform moderately well for a LONG time on only hay...? Amazin! LOL
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