Body Fat Calculator
Estimate your body fat percentage using the US Navy circumference method. Get fat mass, lean mass, and fitness category.
Body Fat Percentage
16.9%
Fitness
Healthy range: 10–20%
Fat Mass
12.7 kg
Lean Mass
62.3 kg
In Healthy Range?
Yes
| 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 | ≥ 25% | ≥ 32% |
Uses the US Navy circumference method. Measure waist at navel level, neck just below larynx, hips at widest point (women). Results are estimates - DEXA scan is the gold standard.
About the Body Fat Calculator
Body fat percentage is a far more meaningful health metric than BMI because it distinguishes between fat mass and lean mass. An athlete with well-developed muscles may have a high BMI but low body fat - and vice versa, a person at a healthy BMI may have dangerously high body fat. This calculator uses the US Navy circumference method, which requires only a tape measure and is accurate within 2-3% of DEXA scan results for most people.
US Navy Body Fat Formula
Men: BF% = 495 / (1.0324 - 0.19077 × log10(waist-neck) + 0.15456 × log10(height)) - 450
Women: BF% = 495 / (1.29579 - 0.35004 × log10(waist+hip-neck) + 0.22100 × log10(height)) - 450 · All measurements in cm · Measure waist at navel level, neck below larynx, hips at widest point
Worked Example
Male, 30 years, waist 88cm, neck 38cm, height 175cm
Body fat ≈ 20.8% (Fitness category for men 30-39) · Fat mass ≈ 15.6 kg · Lean mass ≈ 59.4 kg (assuming 75 kg total)
Tips & Insights
- 1
Measure in the morning after using the toilet, before eating. Take 3 readings and average them.
- 2
Healthy body fat for Indian men: 10-20%. For Indian women: 18-28%. Athletes are typically below these ranges.
- 3
Waist circumference alone is a strong predictor of metabolic disease: aim for under 90cm (men) and 80cm (women) in India.
- 4
Losing 1 kg of fat while building 0.5 kg of muscle makes body fat percentage drop faster than weight loss alone suggests.
- 5
Recheck every 4-6 weeks - body fat responds more slowly than scale weight, but the changes are more meaningful.
Why this matters for you
Normal-weight obesity - having a healthy BMI but high body fat - affects up to 20% of Indians with 'healthy' BMI, putting them at similar cardiovascular risk as obese individuals. Body fat percentage catches this group that BMI misses. For people doing strength training, it also reveals muscle gains that the scale hides, keeping motivation high even when total weight is not changing.
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