Calculate your body fat percentage using various methods including Navy, skinfold, and BMI
Add this calculator to your site and keep the attribution link for SEO value.
Tip: You can adjust the iframe height if needed, but keep the attribution link.
Body fat percentage is the amount of fat mass in your body compared to your total body weight. It's a more accurate measure of fitness than BMI because it distinguishes between fat and lean mass (muscle, bone, organs, etc.).
Body fat is essential for health, but the right amount varies by gender, age, and fitness goals. Some body fat is vital for:
Uses measurements of waist, neck, and hip (for women) circumferences to estimate body fat. It's simple and requires only a tape measure.
Uses calipers to measure the thickness of skin folds at specific body sites. More accurate than circumference methods but requires proper technique.
Uses height, weight, age, and sex to estimate body fat. Less accurate but requires no special equipment.
DEXA scans, hydrostatic weighing, and BodPod measurements provide the most accurate results but require specialized equipment.
Note that very low body fat percentages can be unhealthy and may lead to health problems. Essential fat is necessary for normal physiological functions.
Body fat percentage is a key indicator of health and fitness that goes beyond what a scale or BMI can tell you. Understanding your body composition can help you set more meaningful fitness goals and track your progress more effectively.
Weight loss doesn't always mean fat loss. When you lose weight, you might be losing:
By tracking body fat percentage instead of just weight, you can ensure you're losing fat while preserving muscle mass, which is crucial for long-term metabolic health.
Where your body stores fat is just as important as how much fat you have:
People with an "apple" body shape (fat concentrated around the abdomen) typically have more visceral fat and higher health risks than those with a "pear" shape (fat concentrated in hips and thighs).
To reduce body fat percentage while maintaining or building muscle:
All body fat measurement methods have limitations:
For the most accurate assessment, use the same measurement method consistently and track trends over time rather than focusing on a single measurement.
For a more comprehensive health assessment, consider using our other calculators like the BMI Calculator, TDEE Calculator, or Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator.