This body fat calculator uses the U.S. Navy Circumference Method where three to four body measurements are fed into a fixed formula to estimate your body fat percentage. It is only an estimate and not a replacement for having your body fat measured professionally.
How to Take Your Measurements
Ideally have someone help you take your measurements. The measurements need to be accurate to within 0.5cm/ 0.25 inches, and should be taken as follows.
Neck: Wrap the measuring tape at the level just below the larynx (Adam’s apple), with the tape slightly sloping downward at the front.
Your shoulders should be down and relaxed. Avoid flaring your neck outward. Keep your head straight and look forward.
Waist: Women should wrap the measuring tape around the smallest part of their waist. Men should wrap the measuring tape around the level the belly button. Ensure the tape is horizontal all the way round, including around your back.
Hips (women only): Wrap the measuring tape around the widest part of your hips. For most women this is just below the hip bone and around the largest part of the butt. Keep the measuring tape horizontal.
Healthy Body Fat Percentage
Not all fat is bad. Some body fat is necessary for normal bodily functions (e.g. digestion and temperature regulation) and reproductive function, this is called essential body fat. Too little fat can result in health problems such as immune dysfunction and disrupt the menstural cycle.12
On the other hand, excess body fat has been linked to a greater the risk of chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, inflammation, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular disease.34
Women naturally have a higher body fat percentage than men. Furthermore, body fat tends to increase with age while muscle mass decreases (though regular cardiovascular exercise and strength training can minimize this).56
Body Fat Percentage Categories
There are several different ways of classifying body fat percentage. Some of the most commonly used classifications are listed below.
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) categorizes body fat as follows.7Body Fat Level Women Men Essential Fat 10 – 13% 2 – 5 % Lean (Athlete) 14 – 20% 6 – 13% Average (Fitness) 21 – 24 % 14 – 17% Acceptable 25 – 31% 18 – 25% Obese >31% >25%
Healthy Body Fat Level for Age
A healthy body fat percentage may also be divided into the following ranges depending on age and gender, though may be a little lower in athletes.8Age Women Men 20-39 21–32% 8–19% 40 -59 23–33% 11–21% 60 -79 24–35% 13–24%
These body fat charts provide only general ranges. Ideal body fat percentage will vary from person to person.
Body Fat Percentage
Body fat percentage is the weight of a person’s body fat divided by their total body weight. The advantage of measuring body fat percentage is that it distinguishes between body fat and fat-free mass, which is made up of everything that is not fat (muscle, bone, organs, water, and other tissues in the body). However, body weight and body mass index (BMI) cannot distinguish between body fat and fat-free mass.
Therefore, tracking your health or physical changes through body weight or BMI alone can be misleading, because they can’t tell the difference between a pound of fat and a pound of muscle. For example, if you have been exercising you may not have experienced any significant weight loss. However, your body fat percentage is probably decreasing, while your muscle mass is increasing. The scale can’t show those important changes.
Furthermore, it is possible to have a high body fat percentage, even if body weight or BMI fall within a healthy range. Measuring body fat percentage can identify people who fall in the healthy BMI category but have high levels of body fat (known as normal weight obesity).91011
Measuring body fat percentage can also provide a more accurate picture in athletic people with a BMI that puts them in the overweight category but who have a lot of muscle and low body fat.
Alternative Methods
The are a number of different ways to measure body fat percentage, including:
- Skinfold calipers
- Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA)
- Hydrostatic (Underwater) Weighing
- Air displacement BodPod
- DXA/DEXA Scan
Using small clamp-like tools called calipers to measure the thickness of subcutaneous fat (fat under the skin) is one of easiest and most inexpensive methods to estimate body fat.
Body Fat Distribution
In addition to body fat percentage, the distribution of body fat (body shape) is a separate and important factor in assessing the risk of disease.
Excess belly fat is associated with a higher risk of chronic conditions compared to the kind of fat found directly under the skin (subcutaneous fat).12
To determine your body fat distribution and associated health risk, use the waist-to-hip ratio calculator.
Great calc, not too far off from skin fold tests. Got 10.5%, though I measured this in the evening. Maybe I would have gotten a smaller number if I measured first thing in the morning. Hoping to reach 8% in 3-6 weeks.
On a side note, how accurate are skin fold tests done with a vernier caliper instead of a skin fold caliper? I only have a vernier caliper at home 🙁
29.6 and I’ve been running 6-7 days a week for the last couple of months and at least 3 times a week a month before that. Feeling a bit discouraged. I was very petite up until 4-5 months ago. Any recommendations? I could use the advise. Thanks.
i got 29.4! I’d really like to slim down my thighs and tighten my stomach. any advice?
Okay! I’m going to go ahead and do it. Thanks so much.
So it looks like I need to get my waist and hips down a few sizes. Any exercises or maybe foods that could help? Running maybe? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Anna,
Yes, running is a great exercise, both to get fit and to lose weight! Check out this beginner running program.
MY god save me from myself i scored 63.7% how sad. But the point is i care and am starting to look after me I get so caught up in my kids. I have also had three difficult pregnancy’s. Its all very exciting.see how i go. no excuses.
Hmm. I get 27% body fat, but I’m very muscular, although I do have large hips. How accurate is this calculator?
Hi Steph,
It’s best to get your body fat percentage professionally measured. Using a body fat calculator is just estimating body fat just and gives a ballpark figure. Read here about ways to measure body fat more accurately.
Help !! I got -7.8%
Hi Michelle,
What numbers did you input?
I got 15.3%, which would place me at the same level as an athlete. The problem is, I still feel really self-conscious, particularly about my stomach and hip fat. I am very athletic, and enjoy running and trampolining, but I just can seem to shift this weight. I’m 16 years old, European, 50 kgs and 157 cm and female. Can anyone offer me any advice? I know I’m still young, but for the sake of my self confidence, I would like to tighten my stomach and hips.
It keeps telling me that my neck measurement is invalid
I got 26.3% is that bad o.o?
what’s your height ?
There we go, I changed my hight so It was the correct 66″ and I got 11.8% 🙂
what, I got 8.5%, I must have gotten the hight wrong
mine was 18.6- although I have really large thighs and I’m trying to slim them down! I think it’s mainly muscle as I did a lot of sport when I was younger and I have a very high metabolism. I’m slim everywhere else so my thighs look out of proportion- any ideas on the best way to slim them down? I’ve heard running is a good method?
Woot! I got 16.6%. But I wish the results weren’t in red it makes it seem like it’s a bad result
Hey Roxanne!
that’s true! i’ll try and change it. thanks for letting me know!
Woot! I got 16.6%. But I wish the results weren’t in red it makes it like it’s a bad result
Ms. Lady Devilish , if you are let’s say 5′ ,you have to multiply 5×12 =60 .Because if you are using inches, there is 12 inches in 1 foot. Hope it helps.Bec.that’s what I did and it take it.Good luck. 🙂
Frustrating.. No matter what I do it always says “invalid height”. Well excuse me, but my height is VERY valid!
Make sure you entered your height in whatever measurement you picked. Like if you picked inches, you have to enter it in inches not feet.