Army Body Fat Calculator
Use this calculator to estimate your body fat percent based on the formula used by the U.S. Army. It shows whether you pass the requirements of applicants and current service men, as well as how you fare relative to the Department of Defense goal. Often referred to as an Army tape test calculator or Army BMI calculator.
- Body fat calculation - the U.S. Army Method
- U.S. Army body fat formula
- Do I pass the army body fat requirement?
- Tips for reducing body fat
Body fat calculation - the U.S. Army Method
There are different methods for calculating and estimating body fat, as described in our calculators for body fat percentage and fat-free body mass (mistaken with lean body mass). This particular calculator implements the U.S. Army method, used by the Department of Defense [1] to vet applicants for enrollment in the military, and during assessment of current staff.
To use this U.S. Army body fat calculator, it is best that you recruit the help of another person to take the measurements for you. This way they can be as close to the army method specified in the Standards of Medical Fitness [2] as possible. According to the U.S. Army manual, use a flexible measurement tape to measure the neck circumference and waist circumference at their narrowest points — at the Adam's apple for the neck and at the belly button level for the waist — and the hips circumference at their widest. The measurement can be in feet and inches or centimeters depending on your preferences.
You will also need to enter your age rounded to the nearest whole year as these are also part of the Army body fat calculation formula as shown below.
U.S. Army body fat formula
Contrary to what some people think, the US army body fat percentage figure is not calculated based on any kind of BMI calculation. It is actually based on correlations between several body circumference measures relative to a person's height.
For men the formula is [3]:
86.01 x log10(waist - neck) - 70.041 x log10(height) + 36.76
For women the formula is [4]:
163.205 x log10(waist + hip - neck) - 97.684 x log10(height) - 78.387
All measurements are in inches. To use centimeters instead, replace 36.76 with 30.30 in the formula for men, and 78.387 with 104.912 in the formula for women. The output of the formula is a body fat percentage, meaning the percentage of your weight that is composed of fatty tissue.
Do I pass the army body fat requirement?
According to tables 2-1 and 2-2 of the U.S. Army Regulation 40–501 from 2019 (also valid in 2023), Standards of Medical Fitness (a.k.a. Army body fat standards 2023, a.k.a. Army body fat chart), the maximum allowed body fat percentage in order to
| Age | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 17-20 | 24% | 30% |
| 21-27 | 26% | 32% |
| 28-39 | 28% | 34% |
| 40 and over | 30% | 36% |
According to table B-2 of the U.S. Army Regulation 600-9 from 2019 (in force in 2023), The Army Body Composition Program, the maxmimum allowed body fat percentage in order to remain a part of the army is presented in the table below:
| Age | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 17-20 | 20% | 30% |
| 21-27 | 22% | 32% |
| 28-39 | 24% | 34% |
| 40 and over | 26% | 36% |
The goal of the Department of Defense is 18% body fat for males and 26% body fat for females in the military as measured by the tape test. In our online calculator we will show you how much above the maximum allowable you are and how much you need to lose to meet the goal (if any).
Tips for reducing body fat
What to do if you have just used our Army height and weight calculator and the results do not cover the 2023 requirements of the DoD? What if you want to improve them, how do you begin? There are several general tips to help reduce your body fat percentage and cover the requirement.
First, you should consider reducing the number of calories you consume through eating. Our calorie calculator can be used to get an idea of where you need to aim. Persistence and motivation are key, as well as recruiting the help of people around you.
Second, you can alter your diet's macronutrient composition: the proportions of fat (lipids), carbs (carbohydrates) and proteins you eat. Our macronutrient calculator can help.
Third, exercise, especially of the resistance training type. As Katch et al. write [2], you can eat more yet weigh less and have a lower body fat percentage through regular exercise. Diligent and persistent exercise allows a person to maintain lower percentage of body fat even despite age-related tendency toward weight gain.
Contrary to popular belief which comes from amino acid infusion in deficient patients, consumption of amino acid supplements does not decrease body fat percentage and will not increase your chances during the application examination. Studies with healthy subjects do not provide evidence in support of using such supplements, including arginine, lysine, ornithine, tyrosine, and other amino acids, or combinations of them. No physical performance improvements were detected, either [2], so you better save your money on these.
Once you've improved your physique, perform the army body fat calculation again plugging in your new height, neck, and waist measurements to check if you meet the Army admission standards.
References
[1] Army Regulation 600–9 (2013) The Army Body Composition Program
[2] Hodgdon J.A. (1990) "Body Composition In The Military Services: Standards And Methods", Body Composition and Physical Performance, National Academies Press (US)
Cite this calculator & page
If you'd like to cite this online calculator resource and information as provided on the page, you can use the following citation:
Georgiev G.Z., "Army Body Fat Calculator", [online] Available at: https://www.gigacalculator.com/calculators/army-body-fat-calculator.php URL [Accessed Date: 27 Mar, 2023].