Army Body Fat Calculator

By Himanshi Mahajan image Himanshi Mahajan BSc (Life Sciences), Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar linkedin_icon Specialty: Nutrition & Fitness Experience: 2 years

Himanshi Mahajan is a Certified Health & Nutrition Life Coach. She has a bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences from Guru Nanak Dev University and two years of experience in writing SEO-based and research-ba... more

, BSc (Life Sciences), Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar  • 

The U.S. Armys requires all service members to meet army percentage body fat standards to qualify for military service. Hence, individuals should be aware of their body fat requirements and acceptable allowances. To make lives easier, we have come up with this simple Army Body Fat Calculator that will help you know your body fat within seconds. Use this calculator to find out whether or not you are in compliance with the U.S. Army standards (1).

Gender

System

Enter your height

Enter your Neck

Enter your Waist

Enter your Hip

Enter your height

Enter your Neck

Enter your Waist

Enter your Hip

calculate

What Is The Body Fat Percentage?

It is the total fat divided by the total body mass. It includes essential body fat and the reserved fat or visceral fat.

Essential fat is the fat needed for the body, and the percentage of it is around 3-5% for males and 8-11% for females. It needs to be noted that females have a higher essential fat percentage compared to males due to low muscle in their body (2).

How Does An Army Body Fat Calculator Work?

This Army Body Fat Calculator tool is designed to assess the fat value of a n individual based on their personal measurements of height, neck, hip, and waist. It also takes into account the age and gender of the individual (1).

Once you enter your personal measurements, this tool helps in evaluating body fat and also lets you know if you meet the U.S. Army’s recruitment standards or are in compliance with the more stringent standards of the Department of Defense.

The tool uses the compliance results to decide whether or not you are likely to be fit to be in the U.S. Army.

 

S.No.GenderAgeBody Fat %Compliance Status
MinMaxMinMax
1Male1720018.5You meet the goal of the Department of Defense!
2Male172018.520.5You meet the standard!
3Male172020.524.5You meet the standard for the army recruitment!
4Male172024.5+You do not comply with the requirements!
5Male2127018.5You meet the goal of the Department of Defense!
6Male212718.522.5You meet the standard!
7Male212722.526.5You meet the standard for the army recruitment!
8Male212726.5+You do not comply with the requirements!
9Male2839018.5You meet the goal of the Department of Defense!
10Male283918.524.5You meet the standard!
11Male283924.528.5You meet the standard for the army recruitment!
12Male283928.5+You do not comply with the requirements!
13Male40+018.5You meet the goal of the Department of Defense!
14Male40+18.526.5You meet the standard!
15Male40+26.530.5You meet the standard for the army recruitment!
16Male40+30.5+You do not comply with the requirements!
17Female1720026.5You meet the goal of the Department of Defense!
18Female172026.528.5You meet the standard!
19Female172028.530.5You meet the for the army recruitment!
20Female172030.5+You do not comply with the requirements!
21Female2127026.5You meet the goal of the Department of Defense!
21Female212726.530.5You meet the standard!
22Female212730.532.5You meet the standard for the army recruitment!
23Female212732.5+You do not comply with the requirements!
24Female2839026.5You meet the goal of the Department of Defense!
25Female283926.532.5You meet the standard!
25Female283932.534.5You meet the standard for the army recruitment!
26Female283934.5+You do not comply with the requirements!
27Female40+026.5You meet the goal of the Department of Defense!
28Female40+26.534.5You meet the standard!
29Female40+34.536.5You meet the standard for the army recruitment!
30Female40+36.5+You do not comply with the requirements!

 

What are the necessary measurements?

As stated in the Medical Fitness Standards, the body fat percentage is determined using the height, neck, waist (for men), or hip (for women) measurements (1).

Proceed with caution while taking these measurements. One should stand upright with their arms relaxed and resting at their sides.

Locate the point just beneath the larynx when measuring the neck. When measuring the waist, focus on the point with the smallest circumference (or near the belly button).

Measure the hip at its widest point to determine the most accurate fat percentage. This careful approach ensures precise and reliable results.

 

Body Fat Formula (U.S. Army Method)

Most people believe that body fat percentage is calculated based on BMI, but that is not the case.

Body fat is calculated based on correlations between several body circumference measurements in relation to a person’s height.

To calculate the body fat for males, the following Navy seal formula is used (3):

86.01 x log10(waist – neck) – 70.041 x log10(height) + 36.76

To calculate the body fat for females, the following formula is used:

163.205 x log10(waist + hip – neck) – 97.684 x log10(height) – 78.387

All measurements are in inches. For centimeters, replace 36.76 with 30.30 in the formula for men, and 78.387 with 104.912 in the formula for women.

 

Example:

Switching to the inches tab, let’s look at a 35-year-old male. He weighs 210 lbs, stands at 6 feet 1 inch (73 inches), and has a 21-inch neck and 41-inch waist. The outcomes shown are:

=86.01 x log10(waist – neck) – 70.041 x log10(height) + 36.76

=86.01 x log 10(41-21)- 70.041 x log 10(73)+ 36.76

Result – Body fat percentage = 18.15%;

In the Metric section, following are the results provided for a 28-year-old woman, weighing 93 kg and 173 cm tall, with a neck size of 42 cm and waist measurement of 86 cm:

= 163.205 x log10(waist + hip – neck) – 97.684 x log10(height) – 104.912

= 163.205 x log 10(86+173-42) – 97.684 x log 10(173) – 104.912

Result – Body fat percentage = 34.22% (6)

The U.S. Army Body Fat Percentage Standards – Male & Female Charts

The following chart helps to give an idea of this acceptable fat percentage an individual can have to join the U.S Army. These standards are according to the U.S. Army Regulation of 2017, Standards of Medical Fitness (1).

 

AGEMALEFEMALE
17-2026%32%
21-2726%32%
28-3928%34%
40 and over30%36%

How Much Body Fat Is Allowed To Be In The U.S. Army?

According to the U.S. Army Regulation of 2017, Standards of Medical Fitness, the maximum allowed body fat percentage to remain a part of the army is presented in the table below (1):

AGEMALEFEMALE
17-2020%30%
21-2722%32%
28-3924%34%
40 and over26%36%

If you are over the limit, you can follow the below-mentioned tips to reduce body fat.

Tips For Reducing Body Fat

  • Reduce Calorie Intake: The first step to reducing body fat is lowering calorie intake. Consuming more than the required amount of calories in a day can increase body weight and fat percentages and cause harm to health. In fact, short-term low-calorie diets were found to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce body fat mass in obese women (4).
  • Follow A Healthy Diet: Follow a diet that has a balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fat. You can alter the macronutrient composition and avoid excessive deposition of fats.
  • Exercise Regularly: Regular exercise, especially resistance training, helps burn body fat. Persistent physical activity helps maintain a lower body fat percentage (5).
  • Consume high-fiber foods: Consumption of foods high in fiber, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, is a great way to combat increasing body fat (6).
  • Focus On Lean Muscle Mass: Consumption of foods high in proteins helps in building lean muscle mass, thereby reducing fat percentage (7).
  • Keep Yourself Hydrated: Drinking enough water throughout the day helps to curb the hunger signals and reduces your chances of taking in too many calories (8).

The army body fat calculator serves as a valuable tool in maintaining fitness standards. Individuals can assess their body fat levels and work towards their goals by using accurate measurements and guidelines. While the calculator promotes health and readiness among the army personnel, remember that it isn’t just for the military. It can benefit anyone striving for a healthier lifestyle. This tool is here to support your fitness journey and ensure you are meeting the required standards effectively.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the army body fat calculator accurate?

Yes. According to anecdotal evidence, the army’s body fat calculator is accurate to a margin of error of 3–4%.

What body fat percentage can you see abs at?

According to anecdotal evidence, women need a body fat percentage ranging from 14 to 20%, and men need a body fat percentage ranging from 6 to 13%, to see their abdominal muscles.

References

Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Read our editorial policy to learn more.

  1. Military Standards for Fitness, Weight, and Body Composition
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK221832/
  2. Gender differences in fat metabolism. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11706283
  3. Comparison of Bioelectrical Impedance and Navy Seal Formula to Measure Body Composition in Medical Students
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6650177/
  4. Short term low-calorie diet improves insulin sensitivity and metabolic parameters in obese women
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25137262/
  5. Exercise increases the proportion of fat utilization during short-term consumption of a high-fat diet.
    https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Exercise-increases-the-proportion-of-fat-during-of-Hansen-Zhang/f5f23151350f637cc13ccfae68c8a1073d546c89
  6. Whole-grain intake and cereal fiber are associated with lower abdominal adiposity in older adults.
    https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Whole-grain-intake-and-cereal-fiber-are-associated-McKeown-Yoshida/cbf7983b99757ab6f2cc79fb68381720b9c3454d
  7. Association of lower limb muscle mass and energy expenditure with visceral fat mass in healthy men
    https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Association-of-lower-limb-muscle-mass-and-energy-in-Yagi-Kadota/cd41fb5db028ebbbcd5591f7916ffea1a3e61098
  8. Effect of excessive water intake on body weight, body mass index, body fat, and appetite of overweight female participants
    https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Effect-of-excessive-water-intake-on-body-weight%2C-of-Vij-Joshi/5228f2eb6d0048460e493a4413584b301b9c54cd

Embed Code


To embed this on to your site just copy and paste the below code

Was this article helpful?
thumbsupthumbsdown
The following two tabs change content below.