Estimate your body fat with the Army tape method, from your weight and waist, and see if you meet the standard for your age.
| Age | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 17–20 | 20% | 30% |
| 21–27 | 22% | 32% |
| 28–39 | 24% | 34% |
| 40 and over | 26% | 36% |
The Army estimates body fat from two numbers: your weight in pounds and your abdominal circumference in inches, measured at the belly button. For men, body fat is 1.99 times the waist, minus 0.12 times the weight, minus 26.97. For women, it is 1.27 times the waist, minus 0.015 times the weight, minus 9.15. The result is rounded to a whole percent and kept between 0% and 100%.
Stand upright with your arms relaxed at your sides. Measure around the abdomen at the level of the belly button, take the measurement three times, and use the average rounded to the nearest half inch. Weigh yourself and round to the nearest pound. Small errors in the waist matter a lot, since each inch changes the estimate by more than one percentage point for men and women.
The maximum allowed body fat depends on age and sex, as shown in the table. If your estimate is above it, the calculator shows how many percentage points you need to lose, and the matching amount of body fat in pounds for your current weight. This is a screening estimate based on one measurement. It is not a measure of overall health, and a supplemental test can give a more detailed result.
It is a one-site body fat estimate that uses weight and the circumference of the abdomen at the belly button. The numbers go into a formula that differs for men and women.
It depends on age and sex. For men it ranges from 20% for ages 17 to 20 up to 26% at 40 and over, and for women from 30% up to 36%.
Stand relaxed and measure around the abdomen at the level of the belly button. Take three measurements, average them, and round to the nearest half inch.
The formula can give a negative number for a very small waist and a high weight, so the result is held at 0%. A real body fat of zero is not possible, so check your measurements.
No. The tape method is a quick estimate that can be several points away from a DXA scan or other lab test. The Army allows a supplemental test for soldiers who do not meet the tape standard.
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