Estimate body fat percentage with the classic US Navy circumference (tape) method or a BMI + age estimate. Works for men and women in metric or imperial—calculations stay in your browser.
Fitness screening estimate only—not a medical measurement or official Navy BCA. Technique and landmarks affect results; DEXA or clinical assessment is more precise.
Body fat percentage describes body composition—not just scale weight. Two people can weigh the same and have very different fat-to-lean ratios.
**This body fat calculator estimates body fat % two ways:**
1. **Classic US Navy circumference method** — height plus waist and neck (and hips for women), measured with a soft tape.
2. **BMI + age method** — height, weight, age, and sex when you do not have girth measurements.
Results include an estimated body fat %, a fitness-oriented category band, and (when weight is entered) estimated fat mass and lean mass. Calculations run in your browser.
This is a **fitness screening estimate**, not a clinical measurement, DEXA scan, or the official 2026 Navy Body Composition Assessment (BCA).
Estimate body fat percentage at home with a tape measure (Navy method) or BMI + age—then track trends monthly with the same technique.
Home fitness tracking
Use a soft tape measure and the Navy-style method for repeatable monthly check-ins.
Men and women
Women include hip circumference; category bands differ by sex.
No tape available
Fallback method when you only know height, weight, age, and sex.
Fitness planning
Useful for general body-composition tracking—not official military BCA pass/fail.
General adult reference bands from the American Council on Exercise (ACE). Not a diagnosis; ranges vary by source and population.
| 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 (ACE label) | 25%+ | 32%+ |
Source: ACE body composition categories (commonly republished; e.g. Healthline ACE chart summary). The on-tool scale uses similar bands and labels the highest band “Above average” for softer screening language.
| Factor | Navy circumference | BMI + age |
|---|---|---|
| Inputs | Height, waist, neck, hips (women) | Height, weight, age, sex |
| Equipment | Soft tape measure | Scale + height |
| Best for | Home composition tracking | Quick estimate without girths |
| Muscular builds | Often more useful than BMI alone | May overestimate fat |
| Official 2026 Navy BCA | Not the same process | Not used |
| Body fat % | BMI | |
|---|---|---|
| What it uses | Composition estimate (method-dependent) | Height and weight only |
| Muscular athletes | Can stay low while weight is high | Often reads “overweight” |
| This site | Body Fat Calculator | BMI Calculator |
This is a classic circumference estimate for fitness tracking—not the 2026 official BCA process.
Men (classic): navel level. Women (classic): natural/narrowest waist. Measure after a normal exhale.
Expect differences across methods. Track monthly trends with the same protocol.
Likely cause: Missing hip for women, waist ≤ neck, or invalid numbers.
Fix: Complete required fields; waist must be larger than neck.
Likely cause: Inconsistent landmarks, posture, hydration, or timing.
Fix: Measure monthly, same time of day, same landmarks.
Select US Navy if you can measure waist and neck (and hips for women). Choose BMI method if you only have height, weight, and age.
Use kg/cm or lb/in. Switch units anytime—the tool converts displayed values.
Pick male or female. For Navy mode, enter height, waist, and neck; women also enter hips. Weight improves fat/lean mass estimates.
Results update as you type. Use the category chart as general fitness context—not a diagnosis.
Open the Lean Body Mass Calculator with your body fat % when you want LBM planning numbers.
Advertisement
Reference charts such as the American Council on Exercise (ACE) list general adult bands: for men, fitness often around 14–17% and average 18–24%; for women, fitness often 21–24% and average 25–31%. Essential fat is lower (about 2–5% men, 10–13% women). Ranges vary by source, age, and population—use them as context, not a diagnosis.
With this calculator: enter sex and either (1) Navy-style height, waist, neck, and hips for women, or (2) height, weight, and age for the BMI method. You can also compute Navy formulas manually with logarithms, but the tool applies them automatically.
It is an estimate. Results can differ from DEXA and other lab methods. Tape placement, posture, and day-to-day variation affect readings. Use the same technique monthly for trends. It is not a clinical diagnostic measurement.
Neck: just below the larynx, tape level, head relaxed. Waist (men, classic Navy-style): at navel level after a normal exhale. Waist (women, classic Navy-style): at the natural/narrowest waist. Hips (women): widest point of hips/buttocks. Soft tape, snug without compressing skin; average two readings.
Yes. The US Navy-style method uses a tape measure (waist, neck, height, and hips for women). The BMI + age method needs no tape—only height, weight, age, and sex.
BMI uses only height and weight. Body fat percentage estimates composition (fat vs lean). Muscular people can have a high BMI with relatively low body fat—body fat % is often more useful for fitness tracking.
Yes. Select male or female. Women must enter hip circumference for the Navy method. Category reference bands also differ by sex.
Yes. Switch to imperial (lb/in). Enter height as feet and inches when that mode is selected.
Yes. Metric (kg/cm) is available—enter height in centimeters and circumferences in cm.
No. This tool uses a classic Navy-style circumference (Hodgdon-style) estimate for fitness tracking. It is not the official 2026 Navy Body Composition Assessment pass/fail process (which uses updated WHtR screening and official Navy tables). Do not use it to determine military compliance.
Classic metric form: BF% = 495 ÷ denominator − 450. For men, the denominator uses log₁₀(waist − neck) and log₁₀(height). For women, it uses log₁₀(waist + hip − neck) and log₁₀(height). Imperial published forms use different coefficients with inch measurements; this calculator converts to the metric equations internally.
Core calculations run in your browser. Height, weight, and girths are not uploaded to EverydayTools servers for normal use. Optional local save uses device storage only.
This page shows estimated lean mass when weight is entered. For dedicated LBM formulas and planning, use the Lean Body Mass Calculator with your body fat %.
Waist, neck, hip, height, and weight are processed in your browser for core estimates and are not uploaded to EverydayTools servers.
Screening estimate only. Results can differ from DEXA and other methods. Measurement technique strongly affects tape-based estimates.
Fitness screening estimate only—not medical advice, diagnosis, or official military Body Composition Assessment. Consult a healthcare provider for health decisions.
Advertisement
Reviewed by EverydayTools Editorial Team on 2026-09-06.
Same workflow or intent — pick the next step without leaving the site.
Calculate lean body mass from body fat % or Boer, James, and Hume formulas. Runs locally in your browser—never uploaded. Free LBM & BMR estimates.
Free adult BMI from height & weight (kg/cm or lb/ft/in). WHO category, healthy weight range, optional Asia-Pacific & waist. Private—runs in your browser.
Estimate daily calories with Mifflin-St Jeor BMR and TDEE activity multipliers. Choose fat-loss, maintenance, or gain presets with safety floors — metric/imperial, copy results, and hand off to the macro calculator.
Free heart rate zone calculator: Karvonen or 220−age, five zones in bpm—fat burn, cardio, threshold, HIIT. Runs locally; never uploaded.
Estimate ideal weight using Devine, Robinson, Miller, and Hamwi formulas and compare the output range in one place. Runs locally in your browser when supported—no upload required for normal use.
Estimate daily macros from BMR and TDEE, then split calories into protein, carbs, and fats for fat loss, maintenance, or muscle gain. Runs locally in your browser when supported—no upload required for normal use.
Frequently opened tools from the same category.
Free adult BMI from height and weight (kg/cm or lb/ft/in). WHO categories, healthy weight range, optional Asia-Pacific & waist. Screening only—runs in your browser.
Estimate daily calories using the Mifflin-St Jeor BMR formula and TDEE activity multipliers for maintenance, weight loss, or weight gain. Runs locally in your browser when supported—no upload required for normal use.
Free tip calculator — find tip amount, bill + tip total, and per-person share. Presets for common percentages (10%, 15%, 20%), custom %, and equal split. Runs in your browser. No signup.
What is 20% of 500? Percent increase, decrease, difference, reverse %, markup & margin—runs locally in your browser, no upload. Copy results or share a link.
Cross-category tools others open in the same session.
What is 20% of 500? Percent increase, decrease, difference, reverse %, markup & margin—runs locally in your browser, no upload. Copy results or share a link.
Free JSON formatter — paste minified or messy JSON and instantly get beautified, indented output with syntax highlighting and error detection. Browser-based, no server upload. Runs locally in your browser when supported—no upload required for normal use.
Free word counter — live word, sentence, and paragraph counts plus reading time for essays, blogs, and SEO drafts. Runs locally in your browser.
Free adult BMI from height and weight (kg/cm or lb/ft/in). WHO categories, healthy weight range, optional Asia-Pacific & waist. Screening only—runs in your browser.
Guides and walkthroughs that reference this tool.
10 free browser calculators: BMI, tip, discount, overtime, GPA, compound interest. No upload—runs locally. No signup.
2026 roundup of BMI calculators—EverydayTools, CDC, NIH, Healthline, and Calculator.net compared on accuracy, privacy, units, and clinical context.
Browse full tool collections by topic.
US Navy tape method & BMI estimate
Estimate body fat % for men and women—metric or imperial. Fat & lean mass update as you type. Private in your browser.
Classic US Navy-style tape estimate or BMI + age—fitness tracking only, not a clinical measurement or official 2026 Navy BCA.
Results update automatically. Men: waist at navel. Women: natural (narrowest) waist. Neck below the larynx.
Your body fat percentage
16.9%
Fitness
US Navy circumference · men · BMI 26.1
Body fat 16.9 percent, Fitness range for men
Fat mass
13.6 kg
Lean mass
66.4 kg
Body fat categories — men
| Category | Range |
|---|---|
| Essential fat | < 6% |
| Athletic | 6–13% |
| FitnessYou | 14–17% |
| Average | 18–24% |
| Above average | 25%+ |
Your estimate of 16.9% falls in the Fitness range for men. This is a common range for health-conscious, active adults. This is a screening estimate—not a medical diagnosis. DEXA or clinical assessment is more accurate.
General insights
Fitness screening estimate only—not medical advice or official Navy BCA. DEXA or clinical assessment is more precise. Consult a healthcare provider for health decisions.