Estimate your body fat percentage using the US Navy method (measurements-based).
Body fat percentage is a more accurate measure of health and fitness than BMI alone, because it distinguishes between fat mass and lean mass (muscle, bone, organs, and water). Two people with the same BMI can have very different body compositions — a muscular athlete and an overweight sedentary person can have the same BMI, but their body fat percentages will be vastly different.
This calculator uses the US Navy circumference method, which is one of the most widely validated tape-measure-based body fat estimation techniques. The formulas are: For men: 86.010 × log10(waist − neck) − 70.041 × log10(height) + 36.76; For women: 163.205 × log10(waist + hip − neck) − 97.684 × log10(height) − 78.387.
Body fat categories for men: Essential fat (2–5%), Athlete (6–13%), Fitness (14–17%), Average (18–24%), Obese (25%+). For women: Essential fat (10–13%), Athlete (14–20%), Fitness (21–24%), Average (25–31%), Obese (32%+). Essential fat is the minimum required for basic physiological functions.
Accuracy note: No tape-measure-based formula is as accurate as DEXA scanning or underwater weighing. This calculator provides a practical estimate that's typically accurate to within 2–4 percentage points for most people when measurements are taken carefully.
Using this calculator periodically (once a month, after taking consistent measurements at the same time of day) gives a better picture of progress than weighing yourself daily, since body weight fluctuates several kilograms throughout the day with hydration, meals, and clothing. Body fat percentage is a more stable and informative metric — you can gain muscle while losing fat, keeping weight the same but improving body composition significantly. This is why many fitness professionals track body fat percentage rather than, or in addition to, body weight. If you're following a resistance training programme, a stable scale weight accompanied by a decreasing body fat percentage is actually the ideal outcome, indicating muscle gain alongside fat loss. For most practical fitness goals, a reduction of 1 percentage point of body fat per month through diet and exercise is a sustainable target that preserves muscle mass — aggressive deficits that cause faster fat loss tend to also sacrifice muscle, which is counterproductive long-term. Athletes and very muscular individuals may find the Navy method underestimates their body fat compared to DEXA, since high muscle mass in the chest and shoulders can affect neck measurements; in those cases, DEXA or hydrostatic weighing is more reliable.
Body fat percentage BMI अकेले की तुलना में health और fitness का अधिक accurate measure है, क्योंकि यह fat mass और lean mass (muscle, bone, organs, और water) के बीच अंतर करता है। Same BMI वाले दो लोगों की body composition बहुत अलग हो सकती है — एक muscular athlete और एक overweight sedentary person का BMI same हो सकता है, लेकिन उनके body fat percentages बहुत अलग होंगे।
यह calculator US Navy circumference method इस्तेमाल करता है, जो सबसे widely validated tape-measure-based body fat estimation techniques में से एक है। Formulas हैं: पुरुषों के लिए: 86.010 × log10(waist − neck) − 70.041 × log10(height) + 36.76; महिलाओं के लिए: 163.205 × log10(waist + hip − neck) − 97.684 × log10(height) − 78.387।
पुरुषों के लिए body fat categories: Essential fat (2–5%), Athlete (6–13%), Fitness (14–17%), Average (18–24%), Obese (25%+)। महिलाओं के लिए: Essential fat (10–13%), Athlete (14–20%), Fitness (21–24%), Average (25–31%), Obese (32%+)। Essential fat basic physiological functions के लिए आवश्यक minimum है।
इस calculator का periodically इस्तेमाल करना (महीने में एक बार, दिन में एक ही समय consistent measurements लेने के बाद) daily खुद को तोलने से बेहतर progress picture देता है, क्योंकि body weight hydration, meals, और clothing के साथ दिन भर में कई किलोग्राम fluctuate होता है। Body fat percentage एक ज़्यादा stable और informative metric है — आप fat खोते हुए muscle gain कर सकते हैं, weight same रखते हुए लेकिन body composition significantly improve करते हुए। इसीलिए कई fitness professionals body weight की बजाय या उसके अलावा body fat percentage track करते हैं। अगर आप resistance training programme follow कर रहे हैं, stable scale weight के साथ decreasing body fat percentage actually ideal outcome है, muscle gain के साथ-साथ fat loss indicate करता है। ज़्यादातर practical fitness goals के लिए, diet और exercise से प्रति माह body fat के 1 percentage point की reduction एक sustainable target है जो muscle mass preserve करती है — aggressive deficits जो faster fat loss cause करते हैं muscle को भी sacrifice करते हैं, जो long-term counterproductive है। Athletes और बहुत muscular individuals को Navy method उनके body fat को DEXA की तुलना में underestimate करते हुए मिल सकता है, क्योंकि chest और shoulders में high muscle mass neck measurements को affect कर सकता है; उन cases में, DEXA या hydrostatic weighing ज़्यादा reliable है।