The Legion Physique Fats Proportion Calculator helps you estimate the share of your complete weight that’s physique fats.

Enter your most well-liked unit of measurement (imperial or metric), gender, weight, and age. Then, select the physique fats formulation you’d like to make use of (defined beneath). Take the required skinfold caliper or tape measurements, plug within the numbers, and the calculator will estimate your physique fats share. 

This calculator additionally serves as an “best physique fats share calculator.” It offers insights into how your present physique fats share impacts your well being. It additionally gives ideas on growing or lowering physique fats to achieve an “best” vary for optimum well-being.

Physique Fats Proportion Reference Factors

The American Council on Train Physique Fats Ranges



body fat calculator



Jackson & Pollock Supreme Physique Fats Percentages


body fat percentage calculator

Discover the Excellent Dietary supplements for You in Simply 60 Seconds

You do not want dietary supplements to construct muscle, lose fats, and get wholesome. However the fitting ones can assist. Take this quiz to be taught which of them are greatest for you.

Take the Quiz

Why Ought to I Management My Physique Fats Proportion?

Your physique fats share is a key indicator of total well being and wellness. 

In contrast to physique mass index (BMI), which doesn’t differentiate between muscle and fats, physique fats share gives a clearer view of your physique composition and, consequently, your well being.

Having an excessive amount of physique fats, significantly subcutaneous fats, will increase your threat of varied well being issues. For example, carrying extra fats will increase your threat for coronary heart illnesses like hypertension and atherosclerosis. 

Moreover, a excessive physique fats share contributes to insulin resistance, a serious reason behind sort 2 diabetes. Successfully managing your physique fats can assist stop these well being points and information you towards a more healthy life.

Methods to Measure Physique Fats

There are quite a few methods to measure your physique fats share. Let’s discover the preferred ones and talk about their accuracy.

Physique Composition Scales & Handheld Units

Physique composition scales and handheld gadgets use bioelectrical impedance evaluation (BIA) to measure physique fats share.

They’re extremely inaccurate as a result of BIA passes a light-weight electrical present via your physique, which muscle conducts effectively (as a consequence of its excessive water content material), and fats doesn’t. Theoretically, this could correlate electrical resistance with physique fats ranges, however there are main flaws.

First, electrical energy prefers the trail of least resistance, bypassing fats for extra conductive tissues, causing these gadgets to miss substantial fats areas.

Second, BIA bases its predictions on equations that always yield imprecise outcomes.

Lastly, components like hydration, food intake, and up to date exercise can considerably skew the readings, rendering BIA inconsistent and unreliable.

Photos and The Mirror

Estimating an individual’s physique composition primarily based on visible look is difficult as a consequence of variations in muscle mass amongst people with related physique fats percentages.

For instance, a median 160-pound man with 10% physique fats carries 16 kilos of fats. However a muscular 190-pound man with 10% physique fats, has simply 3 kilos extra fats however a outstanding 27 kilos extra lean mass, making him seem considerably totally different from the primary man.

Twin-Power X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA)

Twin-energy X-ray absorptiometry, or DXA, makes use of a full-body X-ray to find out complete fats and fat-free mass primarily based on the numerous X-ray vitality absorption of various physique tissues. Regardless of what many consider, DXA isn’t an infallible physique fats measuring methodology.

Machines might yield various outcomes, even these from the identical producer. The algorithms translating uncooked knowledge into physique composition measurements differ, resulting in inconsistencies. The type of X-ray used can even influence the outcomes.

Like BIA, even minor hydration stage adjustments in lean mass can considerably skew DXA outcomes, as can gender, physique measurement, complete fats mass, and illness state.

The Bod Pod

The Bod Pod measures the quantity of air your physique displaces inside a sealed chamber and makes use of equations to translate this into an evaluation of physique composition.

Nevertheless, facial hair, moisture, body temperature, and the tightness of the clothing you put on contained in the chamber can have an effect on the Bod Pod’s outcomes, which is why they can be off by 5-to-15%.

Discover the Finest Food plan for You in Simply 60 Seconds

What number of energy must you eat? What about “macros?” What meals must you eat? Take our 60-second quiz to get science-based solutions to those questions and extra.

Take the Quiz

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

MRI scanners use magnetic fields and radio waves to generate detailed 2D photos of the physique’s insides. Technicians scrutinize these photos to estimate physique fats share.

The precision of MRI largely will depend on the variety of photos taken. Research shows that estimating physique fats primarily based on too few “slices” yields inaccurate outcomes.

Hydrostatic Weighing

Hydrostatic weighing measures physique density by evaluating your weight on land to your weight underwater. The distinction permits for an estimation of physique fats share, as fats is much less dense than water, and lean tissue is denser.

Nevertheless, this methodology isn’t foolproof. Elements like ethnicity, physique weight, and hydration standing can skew outcomes, causing potential inaccuracies of as much as 6%.

Physique Fats Calipers and Skinfold Testing

Calipers measure the thickness of your pores and skin at particular physique factors throughout skinfold testing. These measurements feed into equations that estimate your physique’s lean and fats mass. There are a couple of methods this will go incorrect.

Grabbing too little or an excessive amount of pores and skin and fats will give falsely low or excessive readings. The equations that convert pores and skin thickness right into a physique fats share can even generate inaccurate outcomes, although this usually solely impacts people with low physique fats ranges (lower than 15% or 25% for women and men, respectively).

Given the practicality and relative cheapness of physique fats calipers, utilizing skinfold measurements is among the main methods I like to recommend monitoring your physique composition. 

Right here’s the way to do it precisely:

1. Pinch your pores and skin by putting the thumb and forefinger in your physique about two inches aside (or additional if there’s loads of fats on this space), firmly pushing them into your flesh:


how to calculate body fat percentage

2. Push your fingers collectively, then gently pull the skinfold away out of your physique:


calculate body fat percentage

3. Measure a pinched skinfold by putting the ideas of the caliper in the midst of the skinfold about an inch out of your fingers. For instance, the illustration beneath exhibits somebody taking a suprailiac skinfold measurement: 


calculate body fat

4. Compress the caliper till it clicks (and no extra), and word the measurement:


ideal body fat percentage calculator

When taking your measurements, bear the next in thoughts:

  • Take all measurements on the fitting facet of your physique, standing together with your muscular tissues relaxed.
  • Guarantee your pores and skin is dry and lotion-free.
  • Keep away from taking measurements after something bodily demanding or once you’re scorching, as this will quickly improve the quantity of fluid beneath your pores and skin, inflating your skinfold thickness.
  • Take physique fats caliper measurements on the similar time of day every time.
  • In case you’re a lady, keep away from taking physique fats caliper measurements throughout your menstrual cycle once you acquire noticeable weight.

Lastly, listed below are the assorted skinfold websites and the way to measure them:

  • Abdominals: Pinch a vertical fold of pores and skin one inch to the fitting of your stomach button.
  • Biceps: Pinch the pores and skin vertically midway between the elbow and shoulder on the entrance of your arm.
  • Calf: Pinch the pores and skin vertically on the within of the biggest a part of the fitting calf.
  • Decrease again: Pinch the pores and skin horizontally about 6 inches above the waist and a pair of inches to the fitting of the backbone.
  • Midaxillary: Pinch the pores and skin vertically beneath the armpit on the similar top as the bottom of your breastbone.
  • Pectoral: For males, pinch a diagonal skinfold midway between the entrance fringe of your armpit and your proper nipple. For ladies, pinch a diagonal skinfold about two-thirds of the best way out of your proper nipple to the entrance fringe of your proper armpit (i.e., nearer to your armpit than your nipple).
  • Subscapular: Pinch the pores and skin diagonally an inch beneath the center of your shoulder blade (about three inches to the fitting of your backbone and 6 inches above your waist).
  • Suprailiac: Pinch the pores and skin diagonally above the bony protrusion on the entrance of the fitting hip (the iliac crest).
  • Thigh: Pinch the pores and skin vertically, midway between the highest of the kneecap and the highest of the entrance of your thigh. 
  • Triceps: Pinch the pores and skin vertically midway between the elbow and shoulder on the again of your arm.

Some Nutritionists Cost Tons of of {Dollars} for This Food plan “Hack” . . .

. . . and it is yours at no cost. Take our 60-second quiz and be taught precisely what number of energy you must eat, what your “macros” needs to be, what meals are greatest for you, and extra.

Take the Quiz

Measuring Tape

Your waist circumference (measured on the stomach button) is a dependable indicator of fatness: in case your waist is shrinking over time, you’re dropping fats, and if it’s rising, you’re gaining fats.

The Navy tape measure methodology is one other method you should use with a measuring tape. This methodology estimates physique fats share primarily based on neck and waist circumference for males and neck, waist, and hip circumference for girls.

This methodology is easy, quick, and reliable. Nevertheless, it’s not with out limitations. It tends to overestimate physique fats in lean people, particularly in males beneath 15% physique fats and ladies beneath 25%.

Right here’s the way to do the Navy tape measure methodology:

  • For males, measure the circumference of the waist horizontally across the navel. For ladies, measure on the narrowest level of the waist. The person ought to keep a pure posture with out sucking of their abdomen.
  • Wrap the tape measure across the relaxed neck with the tape angled barely downward in entrance.
  • For ladies, measure the hip circumference at its widest level.

Return to the physique fats calculator above and alter the “Physique fats formulation” to the “Navy tape measure methodology. Then, enter your measurements. 

+ Scientific References