01.
Built on Hodgdon & Beckett, 1984
The US Navy Body Fat Percentage calculator uses a method involving equations developed at the Naval Health Research Center by Hodgdon and Beckett in 1984.
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Calculate Body Fat (%) using the US Navy Method
US Navy Method
Enter Your Measurements
Use a soft measuring tape and follow the instructions below each field. The calculator uses the US Navy method published by Hodgdon and Beckett in 1984.
Your Result
Fill in your measurements and tap Calculate to see your body fat estimate.
About the Method
About US Navy Calculator
Built on equations published by Hodgdon and Beckett at the Naval Health Research Center in 1984 — accurate, accessible, and used by the U.S. Navy since 1982.
02.
Accurate to 3 – 4 %
US Navy Body Fat % calculator is considered accurate to approximately 3–4% whereas with DEXA (another popular method) the individual error rates tend to hover around 5%, although some studies have shown error rates as high as 10%.
03.
Use it anywhere — no machine
Moreover, the DEXA scan comes at the cost of using a machine and which includes the time and cost of getting to a machine and paying for using it whereas the US Navy method can be used anywhere including from home by measuring the circumference of required body parts and using an online calculator like above to get the body fat percentage.
04.
Adopted by the U.S. Navy in 1982
The U.S. Navy implemented its current body composition assessment (BCA) program in 1982. The Naval Health Research Center (NHRC) has conducted several research studies in the past to find a more accurate, affordable, and/or time-efficient body fat estimation technique.
05.
Validated by NHRC research
However, none of the NHRC studies resulted in changes to the Navy's BCA program. The results of the study showed that using standalone DEXA measurements would increase the estimated percent body fat for males and decrease the estimated percent body fat for females as compared with the Navy's current method.
06.
Efficient by design
The US Navy's method simplifies the measurement procedure, provides Navy personnel with more accurate information in terms of their health risk, as well as maintain estimated percent body fat accuracy without any associated increases in terms of cost, training, or administration time.
Measurement Guide
How to Measure Body Parts
Use a soft tape, stand relaxed, and follow these three checks for an accurate reading.
- Step 01
Waist
Measure the circumference of the waist at a horizontal level around the navel for men and at the level with the smallest width for women. Do not pull the stomach inwards to obtain accurate measurements.
- Step 02
Neck
Measure the circumference of the neck starting below the larynx, with the tape sloping downward to the front. Avoid flaring the neck outwards.
- Step 03
For women only
Measure the circumference of the hips at the largest horizontal measure.
Service Standard
Body Fat % Limit for US Navy members
The limit of body fat percentage for US Navy service members:
01
Age 18 to 21
Males22%
Females33%
02
Age 22 to 29
Males23%
Females34%
03
Age 30 to 39
Males24%
Females35%
04
Age over 40
Males26%
Females36%
Why It Matters
Importance of Body Fat %
Body fat percentage plays an important role in distinguishing between a healthy and an obese individual.
It has a greater ability to differentiate between lean mass and fat mass compared to BMI.
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