CaloryStat Body Fat

Body Fat Calculator

Estimate your body fat percentage using the US Navy circumference method.

Estimated Body Fat
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How the US Navy Body Fat Method Works

The US Navy circumference method estimates body fat using only a tape measure. It was developed at the Naval Health Research Center from a validation sample of 1,022 Navy personnel and remains the Department of Defense's official standard.1

The Formula Behind the Estimate

Men: BF% = 495 ÷ (1.0324 − 0.19077 × log₁₀(waist − neck) + 0.15456 × log₁₀(height)) − 450 Women: BF% = 495 ÷ (1.29579 − 0.35004 × log₁₀(waist + hip − neck) + 0.22100 × log₁₀(height)) − 450

Validation studies against DEXA and underwater weighing consistently find this method accurate within roughly 3-4% body fat, with a standard error of estimate around 3.5% for men and 3.7-4.1% for women — accurate enough to track trends but not a substitute for lab-grade measurement.2

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is this method?

Typically within 3-4% body fat compared to DEXA scans, per multiple validation studies.

What can I do with this result?

Feed it into the BMR calculator to unlock the more accurate Katch-McArdle formula.

Sources

  1. Hodgdon JA, Beckett MB. "Prediction of Percent Body Fat for U.S. Navy Men and Women." Naval Health Research Center, 1984.
  2. Potter AW, et al. comparative validation vs. DEXA; standard error of estimate approx. 3.5-4% across multiple independent studies.