Army Body Fat Calculator

Tape test with age-based pass/fail standards. Free, private and instant.

How to use the Army Body Fat

  1. Pick metric (cm, kg) or imperial (ft, in, lb) units.
  2. Choose sex: Male or Female.
  3. Enter age.
  4. Enter height.
  5. Enter weight (optional) - optional.
  6. Enter neck circumference.
  7. Enter waist / abdomen circumference.
  8. Answer any extra questions that appear for your choices.
  9. Press Calculate to get an instant result with a colour scale, chart and plain-English explanation.

About the Army Body Fat

The military tape test estimates body fat from circumference measurements and compares it with an age and sex based maximum. Enter your measurements to see whether you are within the standard.

Also known as: army tape test calculator, military body fat calculator, army body composition calculator.

Worked example

Army body fat (tape test): 17.1 % (Within standard). Estimated body fat is 17.1% against a maximum of 24% for men aged 30. You are within the standard.

Formula and cut-offs

Men: %BF = 86.010 x log10(abdomen - neck) - 70.041 x log10(height) + 36.76. Women: %BF = 163.205 x log10(waist + hip - neck) - 97.684 x log10(height) - 78.387. Measurements in inches. Max body fat: ages 17-20 20% / 30%, 21-27 22% / 32%, 28-39 24% / 34%, 40+ 26% / 36% (men / women).

Frequently asked questions

Is this an official calculation?

It uses the published tape-test equations and the commonly cited maximum body fat standards. Official assessments follow your service regulations, so confirm with your unit.

Where do I measure the abdomen?

For men, measure at the navel level. For women, measure the natural waist, the narrowest point, and the hips at the widest point.

What is the maximum body fat allowed in the Army?

Limits depend on sex and age group and are set by current US Army regulation, which has changed over time. Check the latest official standards for your age group; this calculator only estimates your percentage.

What is the army body fat (tape test) for a 30-year-old man, 170 cm, a neck circumference of 38 cm and a waist / abdomen circumference of 84 cm?

Army body fat (tape test): 17.1 % (Within standard). Estimated body fat is 17.1% against a maximum of 24% for men aged 30. You are within the standard. Enter your own numbers above for a personal result.

Sources and references

Written and checked by the MediHub editorial team against the sources above. Read how we build and review our calculators.

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Last updated . This calculator is for education only and is not medical advice. See the medical disclaimer.