Body Fat Calculator
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Estimate your body fat with nothing more than a tape measure, using the US Navy method.
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Enter your height and tape measurements to see an estimate of your body fat.
Estimated body fat
How this was calculated
This is the US Navy tape method. It uses the logarithms of your height and your waist, neck, and, for women, hip measurements. It estimates body fat without a scan, so the true figure may be 3 to 4 percentage points either way.
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This comes from tape measurements, and isn't a body scan or a diagnosis. It is for adults, and not meant during pregnancy. This is an estimate for general information only, not medical advice.
What Body Fat Tells You
Your weight is made up of many things: muscle, bone, water, organs, and fat. Two people of the same height and weight can have quite different amounts of each. That is the main weakness of BMI, and it is why some people like to estimate their body fat as well.
Body fat isn’t bad in itself. Your body needs some of it to protect organs, store energy, and make hormones. Where it sits also matters, and weight around the middle is the kind most closely linked with health problems.
How the Method Works
This calculator uses the method developed for the US Navy in the 1980s, which needs only a tape measure. It uses your height with your neck and waist measurements, and for women, your hip as well. A mathematical equation turns those into an estimated percentage of body fat.
The idea is simple. Your neck and height say something about your overall frame, while your waist, and in women your hip, say more about how much fat you carry.
Measuring Well
Good measurements make the most difference, and the steps beside the form show how to take them. Use a soft tape on bare skin, snug but not pressing in. Stand relaxed and breathe out normally before measuring your waist. Taking each measurement twice can help you catch a mistake.
What It Can’t Tell You
A tape can’t see inside your body. People with very muscular necks or unusual body shapes may get a figure that is too low or too high. The equations were also built on American service members, so they may fit Indian adults less well. Clinics can measure body fat more closely with scans such as DEXA, though few people need that.
The most useful thing to watch is the change over time, measured the same way. If you would like help understanding your result alongside your food, activity, and blood reports, a nutritionist can go through it with you.
Questions About Body Fat
Clear Answers, No Jargon
How accurate is this method?
Treat it as an estimate. The true figure may be 3 to 4 percentage points either way, and more if the tape isn't placed the same way each time.
Why doesn't it tell me if my result is good or bad?
Healthy ranges for body fat differ by sex and age, and these bands are still waiting for review by the nutritionist. Until then, the calculator shows only the percentage.
Why do women need a hip measurement?
Women tend to carry more body fat around the hips and thighs, so the equation for women includes the hip. The equation for men uses only the neck and waist.
How often should I measure?
Every few weeks is plenty. Measure at the same time of day, in the same way, because the trend tells you more than any single figure.
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