Army Body Fat Calculator
Estimate body fat with the Department of Defense tape method used for military body composition standards.
About the Army Body Fat Calculator
This uses the DoD circumference equations (measurements in inches, rounded to the nearest half inch in official testing). The Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps still use circumference methods; the Army used this multi-site method until 2023.
In 2023 the Army switched to a one-site tape test at the navel (Army Directive 2023-11). For an official Army result, use the Army's own calculator and charts.
The formula
Men: %BF = 86.010·log₁₀(abdomen − neck) − 70.041·log₁₀(height) + 36.76
- Women
- 163.205·log₁₀(waist + hip − neck) − 97.684·log₁₀(height) − 78.387
- Units
- inches
Legacy Army maximums (AR 600-9)
| Age | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 17–20 | 20% | 30% |
| 21–27 | 22% | 32% |
| 28–39 | 24% | 34% |
| 40+ | 26% | 36% |
Worked example
Example: Body fat (DoD circumference method) = 15%
- Inputs: Units: lb / ft; Sex: Male; Age: 28 years; Height: 6 ft; and: 10 in; Abdomen / waist: 37 in; Neck: 17 in.
- Formula: Men: %BF = 86.010·log₁₀(abdomen − neck) − 70.041·log₁₀(height) + 36.76
- Result: Body fat (DoD circumference method) = 15%
- Exact value: 14.62%
- Age-group maximum (legacy): 24%
Things to keep in mind
- Not an official test result.
Questions people ask
Why did the Army change the tape test?
Its own study found a waist-only measurement predicted body fat as well as the multi-site method, with less room for measurement error.
Does this match the Navy calculator?
Close, but not identical: the Navy uses a slightly different equation.