Army Body Fat Calculator
Gender
25 years
in
in
in
Body Fat17.4%
Maximum Allowed22%
StatusPASS
The U.S. Army estimates a soldier's body fat from simple tape measurements and checks it against an age- and sex-banded maximum allowable percentage. This tool applies the circumference (tape-test) method and tells you both your estimated body fat and whether it meets the standard for your age group. It is a screening aid for fitness planning, not an official appointment-of-record assessment.
Formula
Male: %BF = 495 / (1.0324 − 0.19077·log₁₀(waist − neck) + 0.15456·log₁₀(height)) − 450
- waist
- Waist circumference in cm (inches × 2.54)
- neck
- Neck circumference in cm
- hip
- Hip circumference in cm, used in the female equation only
- height
- Height in cm
How it works
- Pick your sex and enter your age, height, neck, and waist measurements in inches; female calculations also require a hip measurement. Inches are converted to centimetres (× 2.54) for the formula.
- Body fat percentage is estimated with the U.S. Navy circumference equations: men use waist and neck, women add hip circumference.
- Your result is compared with the Army maximum for your sex and age band — for men 20% (≤20 yr), 22% (21–27), 24% (28–39), 26% (40+); for women 30/32/34/36% over the same bands — and reported as a pass or fail.
Worked example
A 25-year-old male soldier is 70 in tall with a 34 in waist and 15 in neck.
- Convert: waist 86.36 cm, neck 38.1 cm, height 177.8 cm.
- %BF = 495 / (1.0324 − 0.19077·log₁₀(86.36 − 38.1) + 0.15456·log₁₀(177.8)) − 450 ≈ 17.4%.
- Army max for a male aged 21–27 is 22%.
Body fat ≈ 17.4%, max allowed 22% → PASS.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the tape test the same as the Army Body Fat Assessment?
- This tool uses the circumference (tape) method that underlies Army body composition screening. The official process can also use supplemental measurements and is administered by trained personnel, so treat this as an estimate for self-tracking.
- What body fat percentage does the Army allow?
- Limits rise with age. For men the maximums used here are 20% up to age 20, 22% for 21–27, 24% for 28–39, and 26% for 40 and over; for women they are 30, 32, 34, and 36% across the same age bands.
- Why do women need a hip measurement but men do not?
- The Navy-derived equations differ by sex. The male formula relies on waist minus neck, while the female formula uses waist plus hip minus neck to better capture typical fat distribution, so a hip value is required for women.
- How should I measure my waist and neck for accuracy?
- Use a flexible tape held snug but not compressing the skin, measure the neck just below the larynx, and take the waist at the navel for men. Measure on bare skin and average two readings to reduce error.