What is body fat percentage?
Body fat percentage indicates how much of your total weight is fat tissue. It's a more accurate indicator than BMI for evaluating body composition and health risk.
U.S. Navy Method
This calculator uses the U.S. Navy circumference method, which estimates body fat from simple body measurements.
Body fat categories
Men
| Category | Percentage | |----------|-----------| | Essential fat | 2-5% | | Athlete | 6-13% | | Fitness | 14-17% | | Average | 18-24% | | Obese | 25%+ |
Women
| Category | Percentage | |----------|-----------| | Essential fat | 10-13% | | Athlete | 14-20% | | Fitness | 21-24% | | Average | 25-31% | | Obese | 32%+ |
How to measure correctly
- Waist: At navel level, without sucking in
- Neck: Below the larynx (Adam's apple)
- Hips: At the widest point of the glutes
- Measure in the morning, before eating