Body Fat Percentage Calculator

The Body Fat Calculator may determine your total body fat by relying on precise parameters. If you’re more accustomed to the International System of Units, go to the “Metric Units” tab (SI). Measure to the closest 1/4 inch and 0.5 cm for the best results. The US Navy approach is the basis of this calculation. It also incorporates the BMI method for calculating body fat percentage.

Reference

The American Council on Exercise Body Fat Categorization

Jackson & Pollock Ideal Body Fat Percentages

Body Fat

"Adipose tissue" is the scientific term for body fat. Adipose tissue performs a variety of vital activities. Its principal function is to store lipids, which the body uses to generate energy. It also produces and releases several essential hormones and offers some padding and protection to the body.

Body fat comprises both essential and storage fat. Essential body fat is a kind of fat found in almost every body area. It’s the vital fat that keeps you alive and keeps your reproductive system functioning. Men and women have distinctive amounts of essential fat, with men having 2–5 percent and women having 10–13 percent.

A healthy body fat range for men is 8-19%, whereas a healthy body fat range for women is 21-33%. More body fat could have various severe health consequences. An insufficient amount of fat in the body can also have negative consequences. You should consult a physician if you are trying to maintain a body fat percentage below the necessary body fat percent range.

Storage fat accumulates in adipose tissue. Anatomy divides storage fat into two types. Subcutaneous fat is found deep beneath the dermis and around vital organs, while visceral fat is found in the abdominal cavity between organ systems.

While some storage fat is beneficial, excessive quantities can have significant health consequences. Being overweight doesn’t imply by itself having too much body fat. A person’s body weight composition includes (but is not limited to) body fat, muscle, bone density, and water.

The rate at which body fat increases varies from person to person and depends on various factors. They include genetics and lifestyle choices such as inactivity and overeating. Studies have proven that diet and exercise help people lose weight. But because of multiple circumstances, certain people may find it more challenging to lose body fat accumulated in the abdomen area.

Men and women accumulate body fat in different ways. The fat mainly accumulates in the abdominal area in men or the buttocks and thighs in women. After the age of 40, a decrease in sex hormone levels can lead to excess fat. In women, this can occur in some cases after menopause.

Excess Body Fat and Its Consequences

The World Health Organization lists obesity as among the leading preventable causes of death worldwide. In 2016, being overweight caused more than 1,300 deaths per day (nearly 500,000 per year) in the U.S., increasing overall mortality by nearly 18% and resulting in a loss of nearly 2-4 years of life expectancy.

Obesity is linked to lower life quality, lower psychological standing, obstructive sleep apnea, and several leading causes of worldwide mortality, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, certain malignancies, and diabetes. These possible consequences have the potential to shorten a person’s life span.

As previously stated, fat creates a lot of essential hormones that impact a person’s health. Excess or lack of vital hormones can have negative consequences that prevent the body from functioning properly. Excess body fat, especially abdominal fat, has been shown in studies to impair certain hormones’ average balance and activity.

Insulin resistance, low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol are linked to visceral fat. LDL cholesterol is recognized as "bad cholesterol," whereas HDL cholesterol is known as "good cholesterol." High LDL cholesterol levels can block arteries and cause problems such as heart attacks.

Body fat, particularly visceral fat, produces specific cytokines, a large category of proteins associated with cell communication, which may raise the risk of cardiovascular disease. Insulin resistance occurs when cells do not respond adequately to the hormone insulin. It results in elevated blood sugar levels and even type 2 diabetes. In addition, excess visceral fat has demonstrable detrimental health consequences.

Body Fat Percentage Calculation

The US Navy's Approach

We can measure body fat in various ways. The tool above employs an equation-based technique established by Hodgdon and Beckett in 1984 at the Naval Health Research Center. The methods for assessing bodily parts and the formulas utilized are listed below.

For men, measure the circumference of the individual’s waistline at a horizontal level around the navel, and for women, at the narrowest point. Ensure the person doesn’t pull their stomach inwards to get precise measures.

Measure the circumference of the subject's neck, starting below the larynx, with the tape tilted down toward the front. The test subject should avoid protruding the neck outward. For women: take the horizontal measurement of the hip circumference.

Once you have these measurements, apply the equations below to compute your body fat percentage. We provide here two equations, one using the United States Common System (USC) and the other using the International System of Units:

Male body fat percentage (BFP) formula

USC Units

$$BFP = 86.010 × log_{10}(abdomen-neck) - 70.041 × log_{10}(height) + 36.76$$

Metric Units

$$BFP = \frac{495}{1.0324 - 0.19077 × log_{10}(waist-neck)) + 0.15456 × log_{10}(height)} - 450$$

Female body fat percentage (BFP) formula

USC Units

$$BFP = 163.205 × log_{10}(waist+hip-neck) - 97.684 × (log_{10}(height)) - 78.387$$

Metric Units

$$BFP = \frac{495}{1.29579 - 0.35004 × log_{10}(waist+hip-neck) + 0.22100 × log_{10}(height)} - 450$$

The findings of these equations are simply estimates because they depend on various assumptions to be as universal as possible. Scientists use bioelectric impedance analysis or hydrostatic density testing to estimate body fat content more accurately.

The equation for Fat mass (FM)

$$Fat\ Mass = Body\ Fat × Weight$$

The equation for Lean Mass (LM)

$$Lean\ Mass = Weight - Fat\ Mass$$

BMI Approach

BMI is another measure for generating a body fat percentage estimate. Calculating BMI requires the application of equations and the measurements of an individual’s height and weight. For example, the following equations can calculate a user’s body fat percentage based on their BMI.

Use the BMI Calculator to get a BMI estimate with the BMI technique and more information on calculating BMI, its significance, and constraints.

Adult Male Body fat percentage (BFP) equation

$$BFP = 1.20 × BMI + 0.23 × Age - 16.2$$

Adult Female Body fat percentage (BFP) equation

$$BFP = 1.20 × BMI + 0.23 × Age - 5.4$$

Boys’ Body fat percentage (BFP) equation

$$BFP = 1.51 × BMI - 0.70 × Age - 2.2$$

Girls’ Body fat percentage (BFP) equation

$$BFP = 1.51 × BMI - 0.70 × Age + 1.4$$