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Body fat calculator
Body fat shows more accurately than BMI how much of your weight is fat and how much is muscle and everything else. You need your height and a tape measure.
How to measure
Neck: just below the larynx, tape angled slightly down to the front. Waist: at the navel for men, at the narrowest point for women. Hips (women only): at the widest part of the glutes.
Measure in the morning, standing, after breathing out, with the tape snug but not digging in.
How it is calculated
We use the U.S. Navy formula (Hodgdon and Beckett, 1984), which links body fat to height and circumferences. Its error is about 3-4 percentage points, which is enough to track changes.
Body fat ranges come from the American Council on Exercise (ACE): 21-31% is typical for women and 14-24% for men.
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal body fat percentage?
21-31% for women and 14-24% for men. Athletes are lower: 14-20% for women and 6-13% for men.
How accurate is the tape method?
Within about 3-4 percentage points of lab methods. For tracking progress, measuring the same way every time matters more.
Sources
- Hodgdon J. A., Beckett M. B. Prediction of percent body fat for U.S. Navy men and women from body circumferences and height. Naval Health Research Center, 1984
- American Council on Exercise. Percent body fat calculator www.acefitness.org/resources/everyone/tools-calculators/percent-body-fat-calculator/
In the app your calorie target updates by itself when your weight changes
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