How to use it
- Step 1Pick your sex and enter your height.
- Step 2Measure your waist at the navel and your neck just below the Adam's apple; women also measure hips at the widest point.
- Step 3Enter your weight to see fat mass and lean mass.
- Step 4Measure at the same time of day each time you check.
Categories and accuracy
| Category | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Essential fat | 10% to 13% | 2% to 5% |
| Athletes | 14% to 20% | 6% to 13% |
| Fitness | 21% to 24% | 14% to 17% |
| Average | 25% to 31% | 18% to 24% |
| Above average | 32% and up | 25% and up |
Categories follow the American Council on Exercise chart. Tape methods are often within about 3 to 4 percentage points of DEXA, but the trend over time is more useful than one reading. See How to measure body fat.
More body and habits
Common questions
How accurate is the Navy body fat method?
It's often within about 3 to 4 percentage points of lab methods, with bigger errors for some body shapes. Use it to track your trend.
Where do I measure my waist?
For this formula, measure horizontally at the navel after breathing out normally, without pulling the tape tight.
What is a healthy body fat percentage?
Many references put roughly 21% to 31% for women and 14% to 24% for men in the fitness-to-average ranges.
Is body fat better than BMI?
It tells you more about body composition, especially for muscular people. Both are screening tools, not diagnoses.