Body Fat Percentage Calculator
This Body Fat Calculator estimates your body fat percentage based on specific measurements. Use the “Metric Units” tab if you prefer the International System of Units (SI). For best results, measure to the nearest 1/4 inch (0.5 cm).
Reference
The American Council on Exercise Body Fat Categorization
| Description | 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+% |
Jackson & Pollock Ideal Body Fat Percentages
| Age | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 17.7% | 8.5% |
| 25 | 18.4% | 10.5% |
| 30 | 19.3% | 12.7% |
| 35 | 21.5% | 13.7% |
| 40 | 22.2% | 15.3% |
| 45 | 22.9% | 16.4% |
| 50 | 25.2% | 18.9% |
| 55 | 26.3% | 20.9% |
Body Fat, Overweight, and Obesity
The scientific term for body fat is “adipose tissue.” Adipose tissue serves a number of important functions. Its primary purpose is to store lipids from which the body creates energy. In addition, it secretes a number of important hormones, and provides the body with some cushioning as well as insulation.
Body fat includes essential body fat and storage body fat. Essential body fat is a base level of fat that is found in most parts of the body. It is necessary fat that maintains life and reproductive functions. The amount of essential fat differs between men and women, and is typically around 2-5% in men, and 10-13% in women. The healthy range of body fat for men is typically defined as 8-19%, while the healthy range for women is 21-33%.
Storage fat is fat that accumulates in adipose tissue, be it subcutaneous fat (deep under the dermis and wrapped around vital organs) or visceral fat (fat located inside the abdominal cavity, between organs), and references to body fat typically refer to this type of fat. While some storage fat is ideal, excess amounts of storage fat can have serious negative health implications.
Potential Complications of Excess Body Fat
The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies obesity as one of the leading preventable causes of death worldwide that is estimated to claim 111,909 to 365,000 deaths per year in the U.S. This has been a growing cause for concern because 36.5% of U.S. adults are defined as obese according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Obesity is associated with a reduction in quality of life, poorer mental health outcomes, obstructive sleep apnea, as well as multiple leading causes of death worldwide such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, certain cancers and diabetes. All of these potential complications have the ability to reduce a person’s life expectancy, and as such, obesity is a medical condition that is studied by many researchers.
Excess visceral fat can lead to higher levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and insulin resistance. High levels of LDL cholesterol can clog arteries and lead to complications including heart attacks. Insulin resistance can lead to high blood sugar levels, and eventually to type 2 diabetes.
How to Measure
U.S. Navy Method:
The calculator uses equations developed at the Naval Health Research Center by Hodgdon and Beckett in 1984.
- Measure the circumference of your waist at a horizontal level around the navel for men, and at the level with the smallest width for women.
- Measure the circumference of your neck starting below the larynx, with the tape sloping downward to the front.
- For women only: Measure the circumference of your hips at the largest horizontal measure.
For men, the formula is:
BFP = 86.010×log₁₀(abdomen-neck) – 70.041×log₁₀(height) + 36.76
For women, the formula is:
BFP = 163.205×log₁₀(waist+hip-neck) – 97.684×(log₁₀(height)) – 78.387
BMI Method:
Another way to estimate body fat percentage uses BMI calculations:
For adult males: BFP = 1.20 × BMI + 0.23 × Age – 16.2
For adult females: BFP = 1.20 × BMI + 0.23 × Age – 5.4