Body Fat Percentage Calculator

Free body fat percentage calculator. Get your body fat %, fitness category, and ideal range — from a tape or from height and weight.

A healthy body fat percentage is typically 10–20% for men and 18–28% for women. You can calculate it with a tape (Navy method) or from height and weight if you do not have measurements. Enter your stats below.

Navy: Hodgdon & Beckett, Naval Health Research Center. Height & weight: Deurenberg BMI method. Waist: Relative Fat Mass (Woolcott & Bergman). For Army standards, use the Army body fat calculator.

Most accurate at-home method. Needs a flexible tape for neck and waist.

What is body fat percentage?

Body fat percentage is the proportion of your total body weight that is stored fat. Two people at the same weight can look and perform very differently: 180 lb at 12% body fat is not 180 lb at 28%. Unlike BMI, body fat percentage separates fat from lean mass (muscle, bone, water, organs), so it is a better marker of metabolic health and fitness than the scale alone.

How to calculate body fat percentage

This body fat percentage calculator runs three published formulas. Use Navy if you have a tape. Use height and weight if you do not. Use RFM if you only measured waist.

U.S. Navy tape method

Developed at the Naval Health Research Center (Hodgdon & Beckett, 1984). Enter cm or inches — the calculator converts to the official inch formulas (same result as the metric density equations below).

Men (inches):

BF% = 86.010 × log₁₀(waist − neck) − 70.041 × log₁₀(height) + 36.76

Women (inches):

BF% = 163.205 × log₁₀(waist + hip − neck) − 97.684 × log₁₀(height) − 78.387

Men (cm, equivalent):

BF% = 495 / (1.0324 − 0.19077 × log₁₀(waist − neck) + 0.15456 × log₁₀(height)) − 450

Women (cm, equivalent):

BF% = 495 / (1.29579 − 0.35004 × log₁₀(waist + hip − neck) + 0.22100 × log₁₀(height)) − 450

Typical error versus DEXA is about 1–3% for most adults when you measure the same way each time. Less precise at very low or very high body fat.

Body fat percentage calculator using height and weight

No tape? The Deurenberg BMI method estimates body fat from height, weight, age, and sex — the query people type as “body fat percentage calculator using height and weight.” First compute BMI, then:

Men: BF% = 1.20 × BMI + 0.23 × age − 16.2

Women: BF% = 1.20 × BMI + 0.23 × age − 5.4

Under 18: BF% = 1.51 × BMI − 0.70 × age − 2.2 (boys) or + 1.4 (girls)

This method cannot tell muscle from fat. A muscular person will look “high body fat” on BMI even when they are lean. Prefer Navy or RFM when you can measure a waist.

Relative Fat Mass (height and waist)

RFM (Woolcott & Bergman) uses only height and waist. It often tracks DEXA better than BMI for both men and women:

Men: RFM = 64 − 20 × (height / waist)

Women: RFM = 76 − 20 × (height / waist)

Use the same units for height and waist. After you have BF%, fat mass = weight × BF% and lean mass = weight − fat mass.

How to measure body fat percentage at home

The Navy tape method takes under two minutes. Use a soft fabric or fiberglass tape — not a metal construction tape.

  1. Neck — just below the larynx / Adam's apple, tape perpendicular to the neck. Snug, not compressing. Round up to 0.5 cm.
  2. Waist — men at navel after a normal exhale, standing relaxed. Women at the narrowest point (natural waist). Round up to 0.5 cm. Do not suck in.
  3. Hips (women) — feet together, widest point of the buttocks. Round down to 0.5 cm.
  4. Height — barefoot, back to a wall, floor to the top of the head.
  5. Time of day — first thing in the morning, before food or training. Average two measurements.

Body fat measurement methods compared

Method Accuracy What you need Best for
DEXA scan ±1–2% Clinic Gold standard
U.S. Navy tape ±1–3% Tape Home tracking
Relative Fat Mass ±2–4% Height + waist Quick waist-based estimate
BMI / height & weight ±3–6% Scale + height No tape available
Bioelectrical impedance ±3–5% Smart scale Daily trend (hydration-sensitive)
Skinfold calipers ±3–4% Calipers Gym assessments
Hydrostatic / Bod Pod ±1–3% Lab Research, athletes

What should my body fat percentage be?

Use ACE categories for a fitness snapshot, then Jackson & Pollock for an age-specific ideal. Women carry more essential fat for hormonal health — a “good” number for women is not the same as for men.

Healthy body fat percentage for men

Category Body fat % Description
Essential fat 2–5% Minimum for survival. Not a long-term target.
Athletes 6–13% Competitive athletes, visible abs.
Fitness 14–17% Lean and healthy. Realistic with training.
Average 18–24% Typical for moderately active men.
Obese 25%+ Higher cardiometabolic risk.

Body fat percentage for women

A body fat percentage calculator for women must use female formulas (Navy includes hips; BMI and RFM use a female offset). Do not compare your result to male athlete charts.

Category Body fat % Description
Essential fat 10–13% Minimum for hormones. Amenorrhea risk below this.
Athletes 14–20% Competitive athletes, very defined.
Fitness 21–24% Lean and sustainable long-term.
Average 25–31% Typical healthy range for most women.
Obese 32%+ Higher health risk. Action recommended.

Ideal body fat percentage by age (Jackson & Pollock)

This is the table top calculators use for “ideal body fat percentage calculator” results. Body fat naturally rises with age as muscle declines. The calculator above interpolates your exact age from these points.

Age Men (ideal) Women (ideal)
208.5%17.7%
2510.5%18.4%
3012.7%19.3%
3513.7%21.5%
4015.3%22.2%
4516.4%22.9%
5018.9%25.2%
55+20.9%26.3%

Healthy body fat percentage by age (broader range)

Ideal is a point estimate. These wider bands are still generally considered healthy:

Age group Men (healthy) Women (healthy)
20–298–19%18–28%
30–3911–21%20–30%
40–4913–23%22–32%
50–5915–25%24–34%
60+17–27%26–36%

Body fat percentage vs BMI

BMI only uses height and weight — it cannot distinguish muscle from fat. That is why a body fat calculator is the better next step after a BMI calculator.

Scenario BMI says Body fat says Reality
Muscular athlete, 180 lb Overweight (28) 12% — Athlete Excellent health
“Skinny fat” office worker Normal (22) 28% — Average/high Hidden metabolic risk
Older adult with muscle loss Normal (23) 30% — High Sarcopenic obesity

How to reduce body fat percentage

Lower fat while keeping muscle. Crash diets drop both.

  • Moderate calorie deficit: 300–500 calories below maintenance. Use the calorie deficit calculator.
  • High protein: 1.6–2.2 g per kg to protect lean mass. Use the protein intake calculator.
  • Resistance training: lifting tells the body to keep muscle. Without it, up to ~25% of lost weight can be lean tissue.
  • Sleep 7–9 hours: poor sleep raises hunger and makes fat loss harder.
  • Pace: 0.5–1.0% body fat per month is a sustainable rate.
  • Re-measure every 2–4 weeks with the same method and time of day.

How to increase body fat percentage

If you are under essential fat, raising it is a health goal, not a vanity one:

  • Surplus: 300–500 calories above maintenance, mostly from nutrient-dense food.
  • More frequent meals if large plates feel impossible.
  • Healthy fats: nuts, olive oil, avocado, fatty fish.
  • Strength training so some of the gain is muscle.
  • Medical check: very low fat can mean amenorrhea or low testosterone — talk to a clinician if symptoms persist.

How this calculator works

Navy tape is the default because it is the strongest free estimate. Height & weight uses Deurenberg (BMI + age + sex). Waist mode uses Relative Fat Mass. Results include body fat %, fat mass, lean mass, BMI, ACE category, Jackson & Pollock ideal for your age, and fat to lose or gain to reach that ideal (lean mass held constant). Educational estimate — not a DEXA scan.

Bottom line

  • Body fat % shows the quality of your weight — fat vs lean tissue
  • It predicts health risk better than BMI alone
  • Tape (Navy) beats height-and-weight when you can measure
  • Women need a higher essential-fat floor than men
  • Track the same method over time, not day-to-day noise

Next: check lean body mass or a body recomposition plan.

Frequently asked questions

Enter sex, age, height, and weight above. Add neck and waist for a Navy estimate. You get body fat %, fat mass, lean mass, and an ACE category — an estimate, not a DEXA scan.

Most adults do well around 10–20% (men) or 18–28% (women). Jackson & Pollock ideals at 30 are about 12.7% men / 19.3% women and rise with age. Athletes sit lower; essential fat is 2–5% men and 10–13% women — not a lifestyle target.

Use a tape: neck and waist (hips too if you are female), then run the Navy method above. Morning, relaxed, same technique each time. Scales and calipers work for trends; DEXA is the clinical check.

ACE average/healthy is 18–24% men and 25–31% women; fitness is 14–17% and 21–24%. Healthy also shifts up by decade. Compare yourself to your sex and age, not to a stage-ready athlete.

Navy uses logarithms of waist−neck (and hips for women) vs height. Height & weight uses BMI + age. RFM uses height / waist. This page runs all three when you enter the matching fields.

Choose Height & weight, enter age, height, and weight. Adults: men 1.20×BMI + 0.23×age − 16.2; women 1.20×BMI + 0.23×age − 5.4. Useful without a tape; weaker for muscular or skinny-fat bodies.

You estimate it. A tape + this calculator is the best free option. Repeat every 2–4 weeks. For a true number, book DEXA, Bod Pod, or hydrostatic weighing.

Jackson & Pollock: about 17.7% at 20 and 26.3% at 55. ACE fitness is 21–24%; average healthy 25–31%. Stay above 10–13% essential fat.

Navy is often within 1–3% of DEXA if you measure consistently. RFM is close for many people. Height-and-weight BMI can miss by more. Treat the number as a trend tool, not a diagnosis.

Key takeaways

  • Navy tape is usually the best free body fat percentage calculator if you have a measuring tape
  • Height and weight (BMI method) works when you cannot measure circumferences
  • Healthy body fat: roughly 10–20% men, 18–28% women — higher as you age
  • Jackson & Pollock gives an age-specific ideal and fat to lose (or gain)
  • Women need more essential fat; do not use male athlete targets
  • Body fat % beats BMI for health and progress tracking
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