Estimate your body fat percentage using measurements.
Quick answer
The U.S. Navy method gives about 17.4% body fat, which is in the fitness range on the American Council on Exercise scale. The method is typically within three to four percentage points of a DEXA scan.
| Category | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Essential fat | 2-5% | 10-13% |
| Athletes | 6-13% | 14-20% |
| Fitness | 14-17% | 21-24% |
| Average | 18-24% | 25-31% |
| Obese range | 25% and above | 32% and above |
These figures are computed with the same formulas as the Body Fat Calculator above. Change the inputs in the tool to see your own result. For a full table, see BMI chart for adults.
The Body Fat Calculator estimates your body fat percentage using the U.S. Navy circumference method — height plus neck, waist, and hip measurements (hip only needed for women) — and shows where that percentage falls among standard categories like essential fat, athletic, fitness, average, and obese. It's free and runs entirely in your browser, giving you a quick composition estimate without needing calipers or a DEXA scan.
Made for everyone. Typical uses:
A man who is 70 inches tall with a 15-inch neck and a 34-inch waist works out to 17.4% body fat, in the Fitness category (14 to 17.9%). A woman who is 165 cm tall with a 33 cm neck, a 75 cm waist and 98 cm hips works out to 28.4%, in the Average category.
It's a population-based estimate, so it can be noticeably off for people with atypical body shapes or a very muscular build -- muscle mass isn't distinguished from fat the way it is in a DEXA scan. It's also sensitive to technique, since measuring the tape too loosely or in the wrong spot can shift the result by several percentage points.
Accuracy: Formulas follow standard published methods and are checked against worked reference examples. Results are estimates based on the values you enter and do not replace advice from a qualified professional.
Expert Tip
Measure at the same time of day and the same way each time (tape snug but not compressing the skin) so you're tracking real changes in body composition rather than measurement noise from week to week.
The Body Fat Calculator estimates your body fat percentage from tape measurements using the US Navy circumference method. You choose your sex and units, then enter your height, neck and waist. Women also enter their hips. The tool returns a percentage with one decimal place and a category. It is useful when you have no access to skinfold calipers or a DEXA scan.
Accurate measurements matter, because a centimetre or two can move the result by a percentage point or more.
A man who is 70 inches tall with a 15-inch neck and a 34-inch waist comes out at 17.4 percent body fat, which falls in the Fitness category. A man who is 180 cm tall with a 38 cm neck and a 90 cm waist comes out at 19.8 percent, in the Average category. A woman who is 165 cm tall with a 33 cm neck, a 75 cm waist and 98 cm hips comes out at 28.4 percent, also in the Average category. The formulas use base-10 logarithms of the waist (plus hip for women) minus the neck and of the height, which is why a small change in the waist moves the result more than a small change in height.
The categories follow the American Council on Exercise ranges. For men, below 6 percent is below essential fat, 6 to 13.9 is athletes, 14 to 17.9 is fitness, 18 to 24.9 is average, and 25 and above is in the obese range. For women the cut-offs are 14, 21, 25 and 32 percent. The result is labelled "Above average (obese range)" at the top of the scale. Women carry more essential fat than men, which is why the ranges differ.
The method is typically within about three to four percentage points of laboratory measures such as DEXA, but it can be further off for people with unusual body shapes, very muscular builds or very high or low body fat. The tool rejects measurements that give an implausible answer, such as a waist smaller than the neck. Use it to track the direction of change under identical conditions, not to chase an exact number. It is not a medical assessment. Compare it with the BMI Calculator, plan your intake with the Calorie Calculator, and estimate exercise with the Calorie Burn Calculator.
Choose centimetres or inches, and the tool converts everything to centimetres for the formula, so the result is the same either way. If you only have measurements in other units, the Unit Converter can convert them. Your measurements stay in your browser.
Reference table with CSV download.
Explore more in Calculators, read the guides and articles, or see how we test our tools.
Calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) based on height and weight.
Best for checking body mass index for personal health tracking
Calculate your daily calorie needs based on age, gender, weight, height, and activity level.
Best for setting a calorie target before starting a new diet plan
Calculate calories burned during exercise based on activity, duration, and weight.
Best for sizing a workout session to hit a specific calorie deficit target
Calculate your exact age in years, months, days, hours, minutes, and seconds.
Best for checking an exact age for a form or application
Convert between length, weight, volume, temperature, and more units.
Best for converting measurements for cooking and baking