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Body Fat Calculator

Estimate body fat percentage from tape measurements.

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Measured just below the larynx.

At the navel, tape level and snug.

Body fat (US Navy method)

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Fat mass—
Lean mass—
BMI-based estimate—
BMI—

Tape methods carry an error of roughly three to four percentage points against a DEXA scan. Use the trend across months rather than treating any single reading as precise, and speak to a clinician about what is healthy for you.

Quick Tool Overview

The Body Fat Calculator estimates body fat percentage from a few tape measurements using the US Navy circumference method, and reports fat mass, lean mass and category alongside it. It tells you something BMI cannot, because it distinguishes muscle from fat.

What it does
Estimates body fat percentage from tape measurements
You give it
Height, neck and waist, plus hips for women
You get back
Body fat percentage, fat mass, lean mass and category
Best for
Tracking body composition over months, not single readings
Calculators Free, unlimited use No sign-up Runs in your browser

About the Body Fat Calculator

Estimate body fat percentage from a few tape measurements using the US Navy circumference method, which needs only height, neck and waist, plus hips for women. Your fat mass, lean mass and category are calculated alongside it.

Body fat percentage tells you something BMI cannot, because it distinguishes muscle from fat. Two people of identical height and weight can differ by twenty points of body fat, and only one of those readings describes a health risk. That said, tape methods carry an error of roughly three to four percentage points against a DEXA scan, so use the number to track direction over months rather than treating any single reading as precise.

Key features of the Body Fat Calculator

US Navy circumference method

A validated tape-based method that needs no calipers, scales or scan.

Fat mass and lean mass

The percentage is converted into actual kilograms of each, which is easier to track over time.

What BMI misses

Two people of identical height and weight can differ by twenty points of body fat, and only one of those readings describes a health risk.

Honest about accuracy

Tape methods carry an error of roughly three to four percentage points against a DEXA scan, so direction over months matters more than any single reading.

Category included

The result is placed in the standard essential, athletic, fitness, average and obese ranges.

How to use the Body Fat Calculator

  1. 1

    Measure with a tape

    Neck below the larynx, waist at the navel, and for women the hips at the widest point. Keep the tape level and snug without compressing.

  2. 2

    Enter your measurements

    Add your height and sex, and the estimate is calculated instantly.

  3. 3

    Read the composition

    Body fat percentage, fat mass, lean mass and the category range are shown together.

  4. 4

    Re-measure monthly

    Track the trend over months. Single readings vary too much to be meaningful on their own.

Frequently asked questions

Within roughly three to four percentage points of a DEXA scan for most people, which is respectable for a tape measure. It is less reliable at the extremes of body composition.

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