Body Fat Calculator
Estimate your body fat percentage with the U.S. Navy circumference method — enter your height, neck and waist (and hip for women) in inches or centimeters.
Estimate for general information only — not medical advice. The U.S. Navy tape method is an approximation that depends on accurate measurements and can differ from clinical methods like DEXA. Use it to track trends, not as a precise figure.
The U.S. Navy tape method
This estimates your body fat percentage from a few tape measurements rather than your weight, so it captures something BMI can’t — how much of you is fat. Men enter height, neck and waist; women add the hip. Measure relaxed, with the waist at the navel and the hip at its widest point, and the calculator applies the U.S. Navy circumference formula.
How to read the result
General ranges differ by sex — for men roughly 6–13% is athletic and 18–24% average; for women about 14–20% is athletic and 25–31% average. The tape method is a solid way to track change over time but is less precise than clinical tools like DEXA, so measure the same way each time. To plan around it, see your daily calories and TDEE.
Frequently asked questions
How do you measure body fat with a tape measure?
The U.S. Navy method uses your height plus a few circumference measurements: neck and waist for men, and neck, waist and hip for women. Measure relaxed — the waist at the navel and the hip at the widest point — and the calculator estimates your body fat percentage.
What is a healthy body fat percentage?
General ranges differ by sex. For men, roughly 6–13% is athletic, 14–17% fitness, 18–24% average. For women, about 14–20% is athletic, 21–24% fitness, 25–31% average. Some essential fat is necessary, and ideal levels depend on age and goals.
Is the Navy body fat method accurate?
It is a reasonable estimate for tracking change over time, but it is not as precise as clinical methods such as DEXA or hydrostatic weighing. Measure consistently the same way each time so the trend is meaningful, and treat the number as approximate.