Body Fat Calculator

Looking Beyond the Scale: The Body Fat Calculator

While body weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) are useful for assessing overall health, they don't tell the whole story. They can't distinguish between mass from fat and mass from muscle. Body fat percentage, on the other hand, provides a more accurate picture of your body composition and is a better indicator of overall fitness and health risks. It measures what proportion of your total body weight is composed of fat tissue. Maintaining a healthy body fat percentage is crucial for long-term health, as excess body fat, particularly visceral fat around the organs, is linked to a higher risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.

This calculator provides an estimation of your body fat percentage using the U.S. Navy method, a widely used and respected formula that relies on simple body measurements. By taking circumference measurements of your waist, neck, and hips (for women), this method provides a reliable estimate without the need for expensive or inaccessible equipment like DEXA scanners or hydrostatic weighing tanks. Understanding your body fat percentage can help you set more meaningful fitness goals. Instead of just focusing on losing weight, you can focus on 'recomposition'—the process of losing fat while building or maintaining muscle. This is a much healthier and more sustainable approach to fitness. This tool can help you track your progress over time and make more informed decisions about your diet and exercise regimen.

The U.S. Navy Method Formula

This calculator uses a formula developed by the U.S. Navy for body fat estimation. The formulas are different for men and women:

• Formula for Men: Body Fat % = 86.010 × log₁₀(waist - neck) - 70.041 × log₁₀(height) + 36.76
• Formula for Women: Body Fat % = 163.205 × log₁₀(waist + hip - neck) - 97.684 × log₁₀(height) - 78.387
• All measurements should be in centimeters (cm) for these formulas.

General Body Fat Percentage Categories

These ranges are approximate and can vary based on age and fitness level.

• Women:
  • Essential Fat: 10-13%
  • Athletes: 14-20%
  • Fitness: 21-24%
  • Acceptable: 25-31%
  • Obesity: 32%+
• Men:
  • Essential Fat: 2-5%
  • Athletes: 6-13%
  • Fitness: 14-17%
  • Acceptable: 18-24%
  • Obesity: 25%+