Navy Body Fat Calculator

About this Calculator

Body Fat Ranges

The American Council on Exercise Body Fat Categorization

Jackson & Pollard Ideal Body Fat Percentages

Body Fat, Overweight, and Obesity

The scientific term for body fat is “adipose tissue.” Adipose tissue serves a number of important functions. Its primary purpose is to store lipids from which the body creates energy. In addition, it secretes a number of important hormones, and provides the body with some cushioning as well as insulation.¹

Body fat includes essential body fat and storage body fat. Essential body fat is a base level of fat that is found in most parts of the body. It is necessary fat that maintains life and reproductive functions. The amount of essential fat differs between men and women, and is typically around 2-5% in men, and 10-13% in women. The healthy range of body fat for men is typically defined as 8-19%, while the healthy range for women is 21-33%. While having excess body fat can have many detrimental effects on a person’s health, insufficient body fat can have negative health effects of its own, and maintaining a body fat percentage below, or even at the essential body fat percentage range is a topic that should be discussed with a medical professional.

Storage fat is fat that accumulates in adipose tissue, be it subcutaneous fat (deep under the dermis and wrapped around vital organs) or visceral fat (fat located inside the abdominal cavity, between organs), and references to body fat typically refer to this type of fat. While some storage fat is ideal, excess amounts of storage fat can have serious negative health implications.

Excess body fat leads to the condition of being overweight and eventually to obesity given that insufficient measures are taken to curb increasing body fat. Note that being overweight does not necessarily indicate an excess of body fat. A person’s body weight is comprised of multiple factors including (but not limited to) body fat, muscle, bone density, and water content. Thus, highly muscular people are often classified as overweight.

The rate at which body fat accumulates is different from person to person and is dependent on many factors including genetic factors as well as behavioral factors such as lack of exercise and excessive food intake. Due to varying factors, it can be more difficult for certain people to reduce body fat stored in the abdominal region. However, managing diet and exercise has been shown to reduce stored fat. Note that both women and men store body fat differently and that this can change over time. After the age of 40 (or after menopause in some cases for women), reduced sexual hormones can lead to excess body fat around the stomach in men, or around the buttocks and thighs of women.

Measuring Body Fat Percentage

U.S. Navy Method:

There are many specific techniques used for measuring body fat. The calculator above uses a method involving equations developed at the Naval Health Research Center by Hodgdon and Beckett in 1984. The method for measuring the relevant body parts as well as the specific equations used are provided below:

• Measure the circumference of the subject’s waist at a horizontal level around the navel for men, and at the level with the smallest width for women. Ensure that the subject does not pull their stomach inwards to obtain accurate measurements.
• Measure the circumference of the subject’s neck starting below the larynx, with the tape sloping downward to the front. The subject should avoid flaring their neck outwards.
• For women only: Measure the circumference of the subject’s hips at the largest horizontal measure.

Once these measurements are obtained, use the following formulas to calculate an estimate of body fat. Two equations are provided, one using the U.S. customary system (USC) which uses inches, and the other using the International System of Units, specifically the unit of centimeters:

Body fat percentage (BFP) formula for males:

Body fat percentage (BFP) formula for females:

Note that results of these calculations are only an estimate since they are based on many different assumptions to make them as applicable to as many people as possible. For more accurate measurements of body fat, the use of instruments such as bioelectric impedance analysis or hydrostatic density testing is necessary.

Fat mass (FM) formula:

FM = BF × Weight

Lean Mass (LM) formula:

LM = Weight – FM

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Ideal Weight Calculator

About this calculator

The Ideal Weight Calculator computes ideal bodyweight (IBW) ranges based on height, gender, and age. The idea of finding the IBW using a formula has been sought after by many experts for a long time. Currently, there are several popular formulas, and this Calculator provides their results for side-to-side comparisons.

Age

In theory, age shouldn’t be a large determinant of a IBW past the ages of 14-15 for girls and 16-17 for boys, after which most people stop growing. It is actually expected that human males and females to lose 1.5 and 2 inches in height respectively by age 70. It is important to remember that as people age, lean muscle mass decreases and it is easier to accumulate excess body fat. This is a natural process, though it is possible to lessen the effects of aging by adopting various habits such as monitoring diet, exercise, stress, and sleep.

Gender

Generally, females weigh less than males even though they naturally have a higher percentage of body fat. This is because the male body generally has higher muscle mass, and muscle is heavier than fat. Not only that, but women generally have lower bone density. Last but not least, males tend to be taller than females.

Height

The taller the person, the more muscle mass and body fat they have, which results in more weight. A male at a similar height to a female should weigh about 10-20% heavier.

Body Frame Size

Body frame size is another factor that can have a significant impact on the measurement of ideal weight. Body frame size is typically categorized as small, medium, or large boned. It is measured based on the circumference of a person’s wrist in relation to their height, as shown below.

For women:

• Height under 5’2″
  • Small boned = wrist size less than 5.5″
  • Medium boned = wrist size 5.5″ to 5.75″
  • Large boned = wrist size over 5.75″
• Height between 5’2″ and 5′ 5″
  • Small boned = wrist size less than 6″
  • Medium boned = wrist size 6″ to 6.25″
  • Large boned = wrist size over 6.25″
• Height over 5′ 5″
  • Small boned = wrist size less than 6.25″
  • Medium boned = wrist size 6.25″ to 6.5″
  • Large boned = wrist size over 6.5″

For men:

• Height over 5′ 5″
  • Small boned = wrist size 5.5″ to 6.5″
  • Medium boned = wrist size 6.5″ to 7.5″
  • Large boned = wrist size over 7.5″

A person who is large boned will naturally weigh more than someone who is small boned, even at the same height, making body frame size a factor that can affect measurements such as IBW and BMI.

Formulas for Finding the Ideal Weight

IBW formulas were developed mainly to facilitate drug dosage calculations. All of the formulas, have the same format of a base weight given a height of 5 feet, with a set weight increment added per inch over the height of 5 feet. For example, if you are a 5’10” male estimating your ideal weight with the Devine formula, you would add (2.3 × 10) kg to 50 kg to get 73 kg, or ~161 lbs.

The formulas differ in the values used based on the research of the scientists involved in their development, and their findings. The Devine formula is the most widely used formula for the measurement of IBW.

G. J. Hamwi Formula (1964)

Invented for medicinal dosage purposes.

B. J. Devine Formula (1974)

Similar to the Hamwi Formula, it was originally intended as a basis for medicinal dosages based on weight and height. Over time, the formula became a universal determinant of IBW.

J. D. Robinson Formula (1983)

Modification of the Devine Formula.

D. R. Miller Formula (1983)

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BMR Calculator (Basal Metabolic Rate, Mifflin St Jeor Equation)

About this calculator

The are the three equations typically used by BMR calculators, of which the Mifflin-St Joer equation is considered the most accurate and it is the oneused by this calculator.

Mifflin-St Jeor Equation:For men:BMR = 10W + 6.25H – 5A + 5For women:BMR = 10W + 6.25H – 5A – 161

Revised Harris-Benedict Equation:For men:BMR = 13.397W + 4.799H – 5.677A + 88.362For women:BMR = 9.247W + 3.098H – 4.330A + 447.593

Katch-McArdle Formula:BMR = 370 + 21.6(1 – F)W

where:
W is body weight in kg
H is body height in cm
A is age
F is body fat in percentage (Click here for our Body Fat Calculator)

BMR Variables

Muscle Mass – Aerobic exercise such as running or cycling has no effect on BMR. However, anaerobic exercise, such as weight-lifting, indirectly leads to a higher BMR because it builds muscle mass, increasing resting energy consumption. The more muscle mass in the physical composition of an individual, the higher the BMR required to sustain their body at a certain level.

Age – The more elderly and limber an individual, the lower their BMR, or the lower the minimum caloric intake required to sustain the functioning of their organs at a certain level.

Genetics – Hereditary traits passed down from ancestors influence BMR.

Weather – Cold environments raise BMR because of the energy required to create a homeostatic body temperature. Likewise, too much external heat can raise BMR as the body expends energy to cool off internal organs. BMR increases approximately 7% for every increase of 1.36 degrees Fahrenheit in the body’s internal temperature.

Diet – Small, routinely dispersed meals increase BMR. On the other hand, starvation can reduce BMR by as much as 30%. Similar to a phone that goes into power-saving mode during the last 5% of its battery, a human body will make sacrifices such as energy levels, moods, upkeep of bodily physique, and brain functions in order to more efficiently utilize what little caloric energy is being used to sustain it.

Pregnancy – Ensuring the livelihood of a separate fetus internally increases BMR. This is why pregnant women tend to eat more than usual. Also, menopause can increase or decrease BMR depending on hormonal changes.

Supplements – Certain supplements or drugs raise BMR, mostly to fuel weight loss. Caffeine is a common one.

BMR Tests

Online BMR tests with rigid formulas are not the most accurate method of determining an individual’s BMR. It is better to consult a certified specialist or measure BMR through a calorimetry device. These handheld devices are available in many health and fitness clubs, doctor offices, and weight-loss clinics.

Resting Metabolic Rate

While the two are used interchangeably, there is a key difference in their definitions. Resting metabolic rate, or RMR for short, is the rate at which the body burns energy in a relaxed, but not fully inactive state. It is also sometimes defined as resting energy expenditure, or REE. BMR measurements must meet total physiological equilibrium while RMR conditions of measurement can be altered and defined by contextual limitations.

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