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Circumference estimate

Body Fat Calculator

Estimate body-fat percentage from neck, waist, and hip circumferences using the documented U.S. Navy method. Not a DEXA scan.

Your numbers

Estimated body-fat percentage

U.S. Navy circumference method. Tape measurements, not a clinical scan.
in
in
in

Estimated body-fat percentage

15.5%Circumference estimate, not DEXA.

Tape site and posture change this number. It is not equivalent to a clinical body-composition test and is not a diagnosis.

How we got this
  1. MethodHodgdon & Beckett, 1984U.S. Navy circumference
  2. Estimated body fat15.5%
What we assumed
  • This is a formula-based estimate for adults, not a diagnosis or medical advice.
  • Population-level equations can be a poor fit for children, pregnancy, elite athletes, and some clinical populations.
  • Talk with a clinician before using a number like this to make a health decision.
  • This is a circumference estimate, not DEXA, Bod Pod, or clinical measurement.
  • Tape placement and posture change the result. Use the same sites consistently.
Technical details

Method body-fat-v1.0.0Data Manual inputs / fixed rules

Guide

U.S. Navy circumference method

CostAnswer editorialIndependent calculator publisher

Body-fat percentage is estimated from neck, waist, and hip circumferences using the documented Navy method. It is not a DEXA scan, not Bod Pod, and not a tape of visceral fat.

Tape technique matters

A tape pulled tight or placed on the navel versus the Navy landmark will move the percentage. Follow the method’s measurement points if you want to match the equation. Even then, individual error versus DEXA can be several points.

Questions about this calculator

Is this as accurate as DEXA?

No. It is a circumference estimate. Use it for a rough trend, not for a clinical or athletic cutoff.

Why do I need hip circumference?

The documented Navy method uses hip for the female equation. The male equation uses neck and waist. Enter the measurements the selected method asks for.

Can I use this for a Navy accession physical?

No. A service uses its own process and cutoffs. This page applies the published circumference formula for an estimate, not a fitness-for-duty finding.

Terms used here

Navy method
A published circumference formula used here. Not a military accession decision unless an official uses their own process.

Practical tips

  • Measure at the same time of day if you are tracking a trend.

Limits and caveats

  • Formula estimate, not a medical measurement or diagnosis.

Results are for information. They are not legal, tax, medical, or financial advice. How the math is maintained · Report a wrong figure.

Engine notes

Rounding, versioning, and omissions that sit beside the guide rather than repeating it.

  • Navy circumference method. Male: 86.010 × log10(waist − neck) − 70.041 × log10(height) + 36.76, in inches. Female adds hip: 163.205 × log10(waist + hip − neck) − 97.684 × log10(height) − 78.387.
  • Units. Metric tape readings convert to inches through the shared conversion engine before the logs run.
  • Limits. Tape site, posture, and body shape change the result. Unsupported measurements are rejected instead of inventing a percent.

Calculation receipt

What each number here is

This answer is arithmetic on what you enter. No outside dataset is involved, so nothing here can go out of date.

The Navy method is a published equation on circumference measurements.

Sources

Where this data comes from

Hodgdon JA, Beckett MBNaval Health Research Center reports 84-11 and 84-29 (1984), circumference body-composition equations used by the U.S. Navy.NHRC / DTIC ↗

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