Welcome to our body fat calculator.
To get your result, you’ll need to know your weight and height. You’ll also need a tape measure to measure your waist and neck circumference, as well as your hip circumference if female.
Click here to jump to instructions on how to measure these circumferences.
Or, keep scrolling to get the low-down on how the calculator works and what exactly your result means.
Body Fat Calculator
Enter your infomation below and hit calculate to find out your estimated body fat percentage.
How To Measure Waist, Neck, And Hip Circumference
Each circumference measurement requires the use of a tape measure.
Tape measures are available to buy for cheap, however, you can also easily print one from this link.
It is important that the measurements are done correctly to ensure the body fat calculation is accurate.
Waist Circumference
For men, waist circumference should be measured horizontally around the navel (belly button).
For women, it should be measured around the smallest width of the waist.
The person being measured should not pull their stomach inwards in any way whilst the measurement is taking place.
Neck Circumference
Neck circumference should be measured below the larynx (the voicebox/lump at the front of the throat).
The tape measure should slope down at the front of the throat (see image below).
Hip Circumference (Only Applicable To Females)
To measure hip circumference, the hips should be measured at their widest point horizontally.
What Does Your Body Fat Percentage Result Mean?
Check out the table below to see which body fat category you are in as well as what makes a healthy body fat percentage.
It is important to note that the calculator provides an estimate of body fat percentage, rather than an exact measurement. If you are worried about your health, please speak to a medical professional.
The calculator has an accuracy of around 3-4%. For example, if your result is estimated to be 15% body fat, then it is very unlikely that your body fat percentage is any lower than 11% or greater than 19%.
Classifications Of Body Fat Percentage Chart:
| Category | Women | Men |
| Essential Fat | 10-13% | 2-5% |
| Athletes | 14-20% | 6-13% |
| Fitness | 21-24% | 14-17% |
| Average | 25-31% | 18-24% |
| Obese | 32%+ | 25%+ |
What Are The Risks Of Excess Body Fat?
Excess body fat can lead to obesity. Obesity is a leading cause of preventable deaths worldwide, and it is correlated with many diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, certain types of cancers, and more.
It is also correlated with many other conditions associated with a poorer quality of life both physically and mentally.
However, it is important to note that a low body fat percentage does equate to good health. An individual can have low body fat and still be unhealthy due to many other reasons such as lifestyle, lack of exercise, diet, and more.
How To Lower Body Fat Percentage?
To lose body fat, you need to consume fewer calories per day than you burn.
Calories are consumed through food and drink, and they are burned through the maintenance of bodily functions and physical movement of the body.
Check out our weight loss guides for easy-to-follow, in-depth, science-based weight loss plans and guidance.
Additionally, you can check out our Daily Calories Burned Calculator to better understand your caloric needs.
How Is Body Fat Percentage Calculated? – The U.S. Navy Method Explained
The method used in this calculator was developed by Hodgdon and Beckett in 1984 for the US Navy. It is estimated to be accurate to around 3-4%.
Other methods of calculating body fat can be expensive or require the use of specialized tools such as skin calipers.
The advantage of this method used with this calculator is that it is easy to carry out and affordable.
Formulas To Calculate Body Fat Percentage:
Estimated Body Fat (Male) = 86.010×log10(waist-neck) – 70.041×log10(height) + 36.76
Estimated Body Fat (Female) = 163.205×log10(waist+hip-neck) – 97.684× (log10(height)) – 78.387
Limitations Of The Method
Differences in body shape and fat distribution mean that the calculator may be more accurate for some than others.
However, the method used in this calculator is likely the most accurate method of measuring body fat that can easily be done at home with minimal equipment.
Other lab-based methods such as air displacement, hydrostatic weighing, and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry are the most accurate methods of measuring body fat percentage, however, they require lots of equipment and can be expensive.
Other Health Calculators
- Ideal Body Weight Calculator
- BMI Calculator
- Calories Burned Per Activity Calculator
- Calories Burned Per Distance Run Calculator
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- TDEE Calculator
