Body Fat Calculator

The Body Fat Calculator helps estimate your total body fat by using certain measurements like waist, neck and hip.

years
cm
ft
in
kg
lbs
cm
in
cm
in
cm
in

Results

Enter measurements and click Calculate

Body Fat Scale

2% 6% 14% 18% 25%

Measurement Guidelines

Waist Measurement

Measure at the narrowest point, usually just above the belly button. Keep the tape horizontal and snug but not tight.

Neck Measurement

Measure just below the larynx (Adam's apple). Slope the tape downward slightly to the front. Keep head straight.

Hip Measurement

For women: measure at the widest point of the hips. Keep feet together and measure at the fullest part.

Fitness & Health Calculators

Calorie Calculator

Water Intake Calculator

BMI Calculator

BMR Calculator

Ideal Weight Calculator

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) sorts body fat

 

 percentages into a few main groups for men and women:

Body Fat CategoryWomenMen
Essential Fat10–13%2–5%
Athletes14–20%6–13%
Fit21–24%14–17%
Average25–31%18–24%
Obese32% and above25% and above

People in fitness and health use these ranges a lot, They give a rough sense of where someone’s body composition stands.


Ideal Body Fat Percentages by Age (Jackson & Pollock)

 

Now, as you get older, healthy body fat percentages go up a bit. Jackson and Pollock mapped out “ideal” body fat by age and sex:

 

AgeWomenMen
2017.7%8.5%
2518.4%10.5%
3019.3%12.7%
3521.5%13.7%
4022.2%15.3%
4522.9%16.4%
5025.2%18.9%
5526.3%20.9%
GroupBody Fat Percentage (BFP) Formula
Adult MenBFP = (1.20 × BMI) + (0.23 × Age) − 16.2
Adult WomenBFP = (1.20 × BMI) + (0.23 × Age) − 5.4
BoysBFP = (1.51 × BMI) − (0.70 × Age) − 2.2
GirlsBFP = (1.51 × BMI) − (0.70 × Age) + 1.4

what exactly is body fat, and why do we even need it?

 

The scientific name is adipose tissue, and it does a lot for us. It stores energy, balances hormones, cushions our organs, and keeps us warm.

There are two main types

 

1. Essential body fat this is crucial.

 Your body needs it for basic stuff, like making hormones and staying fertile.

  • Men need about 2–5%
  • women need more, usually 10–13%.

Drop below those numbers and you’re in risky territory, so talk to a doctor if you’re ever that low.

2. Storage fat

The kind most people think of. That’s two things:

  • subcutaneous fat (just under your skin) 
  • visceral fat (which wraps around your organs).

 You do need some, but too much especially visceral can raise your health risks.

Body fat and body weight

It’s easy to mix up body fat and body weight, but they’re not the same. “Overweight” doesn’t always mean “over-fat.” Muscle, bone, water, and fat all add to your total weight. Think of someone really muscular, They might weigh a lot but still have low body fat.

How much body fat you carry

Genetics, diet, exercise, and age all matter. Where you store fat changes too. After 40 (or after menopause for many women), hormones shift, so men tend to pack more fat around the belly, while women get more on the hips and thighs.

Carrying too much body fat is a big deal. In the U.S., over a third of adults are considered obese, and obesity is one of the top preventable causes of death worldwide.

Extra body fat is tied to all sorts of problems

  • Heart disease and stroke
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Some cancers
  • Sleep apnea
  • Poor mental health
  • Lower quality of life

Visceral fat is especially bad news. It messes with your hormones and pumps out substances that raise your heart risk. People with a lot of visceral fat usually have higher LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, lower HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and more insulin resistance. Over time, this leads to clogged arteries, heart attacks, and diabetes.

How do you figure out your own body fat percentage?

One common way is the U.S. Navy method. You need a few measurements:

waist (at the navel for men, narrowest point for women), neck (just below your Adam’s apple), hips (for women, at the widest spot), and height. Plug those numbers into a formula and you’ll get an estimate. It isn’t perfect, but it’s handy and quick.

Once you know your body fat percentage, you can break your weight down:

Fat Mass = Body Fat % × Body Weight
Lean Mass = Body Weight – Fat Mass

Lean mass covers muscle, bone, organs, and water.

Estimating Body Fat Using BMI

Another method uses Body Mass Index (BMI) along with age and sex to estimate body fat percentage.