Body Composition
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Introduction:

Body composition is the balance of fat and lean tissue in the body, a practical way to track health and training progress over time. Use this body fat percentage calculator using tape measurements to turn everyday readings into clear numbers you can compare.

You provide your sex, height, weight, and two tape measurements at the neck and waist, and women also add the hips. The result includes body fat percent, body mass index, and a split into lean mass and fat mass so you can see both proportion and weight.

Results are grouped into familiar ranges so a small shift is easy to spot and a bigger change stands out, and a quick glance tells you whether you sit near a boundary or well inside a band. Numbers depend on careful tape placement and posture, so repeat measurements the same way.

For example, a man at 170 centimetres and 70 kilograms with a 38 centimetre neck and 80 centimetre waist comes out near 13.7 percent body fat with a BMI around 24.2, with lean mass about 60.4 kilograms and fat mass about 9.6 kilograms.

Use consistent technique, measure at rest, and remember that athletic builds or pregnancy can shift interpretation. This tool provides informational estimates and does not substitute professional advice.

Technical Details:

Body fat percentage expresses how much of total body mass is adipose tissue. Body mass index (BMI) compares weight to height to indicate broad weight categories. The calculator also estimates fat mass and lean mass to show composition in both percentage and kilograms.

The body fat estimate uses the U.S. Navy circumference method based on height and specific circumferences. Males use neck and waist; females use neck, waist, and hips. Computation is performed in inches for the logarithms, with automatic conversion from centimetres if entered.

Results are interpreted with category bands for body fat and BMI. Values near a threshold should be read cautiously because small tape or scale differences can flip the label without reflecting a meaningful change.

BF = 86.01 log10 (winnin) 70.041 log10 (hin) +36.76  — male BF = 163.205 log10 (win+hpinnin) 97.684 log10 (hin) 78.387  — female BMI = wkg (hm)2 FMkg = wkg BF100 ,  LMkg=wkgFMkg

Optional adjustments apply after computation: body fat can be scaled and offset, and BMI can receive a constant offset. Body fat is limited to 0–75 % and BMI to 0–150.

Symbols and units
Symbol Meaning Unit/Datatype Source
hinStanding height (for formula)inInput
winWaist circumferenceinInput
ninNeck circumferenceinInput
hpinHip circumference (female)inInput
wkgBody weightkgInput
BFBody fat percentage%Derived
BMIBody mass indexkg/m²Derived
FMkgFat masskgDerived
LMkgLean masskgDerived
mBody fat scale multiplierunitlessInput (Advanced)
bBody fat additive offsetpercentage pointsInput (Advanced)
bBMIBMI additive offsetBMI pointsInput (Advanced)
Body fat interpretation bands
Sex Category Lower % Upper % Interpretation
MaleEssential25Minimal required fat.
MaleAthlete613Typically trained physique.
MaleFitness1417Active lifestyle.
MaleAverage1824Common range.
MaleObese25100Above recommended.
FemaleEssential1013Minimal required fat.
FemaleAthlete1420Typically trained physique.
FemaleFitness2124Active lifestyle.
FemaleAverage2531Common range.
FemaleObese32100Above recommended.
BMI categories
Category Lower Upper Implication
Underweight018.49Below recommended.
Normal18.524.9Common target band.
Overweight2529.9Elevated risk indicator.
Obese30100High risk indicator.

Units, precision & rounding

  • Inputs accept centimetres or inches for length, kilograms or pounds for weight; automatic conversion is applied.
  • Displayed values are rounded to one decimal place using standard rounding with a dot as the decimal separator.
  • Body fat is constrained to 0–75 % for display; BMI is constrained to 0–150.
  • The gauge visual spans 0–45 % body fat.

Validation & bounds

Input validation rules and messages
Field Type Min Step/Pattern Error Text
SexSelect (male/female)
HeightNumber00.1Height must be greater than 0.
WeightNumber00.1
NeckNumber00.1Neck must be greater than 0.
WaistNumber00.1Waist must be greater than 0.
Hip (female)Number00.1Hip must be greater than 0 for female formula.
Constraint (male)RelationFor males, waist must be larger than neck.
Constraint (female)RelationFor females, waist + hip must be larger than neck.
Neck/waist/hip adjustmentsNumber0.1Positive adds; negative subtracts (cm).
Body fat scaleNumber0.01Multiplier; 0 is ignored and treated as 1.
Body fat addNumber0.1Adds percentage points after scaling.
BMI addNumber0.1Adds to computed BMI.

Privacy & compliance

Calculations run on your device and no server calls are made for your inputs. Clipboard and file downloads occur locally. Health metrics here are estimates and not medical advice.

Step‑by‑Step Guide:

Body composition estimation converts a few measurements into body fat, BMI, and a lean‑versus‑fat split.

  1. Select your sex.
  2. Enter height and weight.
  3. Measure neck and waist; women also enter hips.
  4. Open Advanced to add adjustments or calibration if needed.
  5. Review body fat %, BMI, and the lean/fat split; check category bands.
  6. Copy or download the numbers if you are tracking progress.

Example: Enter 170 cm, 70 kg, neck 38 cm, waist 80 cm (male). You will see about 13.7 % body fat and BMI 24.2 with lean 60.4 kg and fat 9.6 kg.

  • Keep tape level, measure at rest, and repeat twice for consistency.
  • Measure at the same time of day to compare runs fairly.

Pro tip: lock in your tape spots with a photo or note so future readings match the first session.

FAQ:

What formula is used?

The body fat estimate follows the U.S. Navy circumference method using height plus neck and waist for males and height plus neck, waist, and hips for females.

How accurate is it?

It provides practical estimates from tape measurements. Tight tape placement, posture, and breath can shift results. Treat trends as more informative than single points.

Is my data stored?

No server storage is used. Values are computed on your device. Copy and download actions create local data you control.

Which units are supported?

Length accepts centimetres or inches and weight accepts kilograms or pounds. Internally, formulas use inches for the logarithms and kilograms/metres for BMI.

Why is body fat blank?

Height, neck, and waist must be greater than zero. For males, waist must be larger than neck. For females, waist plus hips must be larger than neck.

What does a “borderline” result mean?

If your value sits near a category edge, small measurement noise can flip the label. Track the number itself and re‑measure to confirm direction.

Can I calibrate against another method?

Yes. Use the body fat multiplier and additive offset to align with another method, then keep those settings fixed for consistent comparisons.

Does it work without a connection?

Calculations do. Visuals and icons require their assets to be available. If charts do not appear, the numeric results still apply.

What about licensing or cost?

Usage terms depend on the host page. Review the site’s terms for permissions and any restrictions before redistributing derived values.

Troubleshooting:

  • Body fat empty: ensure height, neck, waist are positive and relationship rules are satisfied.
  • Female result empty: add a positive hip measurement.
  • Unrealistic jump: retake tape readings and remove any advanced offsets.
  • Gauge missing: visuals may be blocked; read the numeric values instead.
  • Copy fails: allow clipboard access or use the download option.
  • Decimals look odd: use a dot as the decimal separator.
  • Negative adjustment: check signs; negative values subtract from the circumference.
  • Multiplier at 0: zero is ignored; the multiplier resets to 1.
  • Extreme BMI: confirm height units; metres are required for BMI.
  • Slow updates: re‑focus the field or toggle tabs to refresh the view.

Advanced Tips:

  • Tip Mark tape spots to repeat measurements precisely each session.
  • Tip Exhale gently and relax the abdomen before waist readings.
  • Tip Measure before meals and training for comparable hydration and posture.
  • Tip Average two to three passes and enter the average for each tape value.
  • Tip Use the scale and offset once to align with a baseline, then leave them fixed.
  • Tip Track both percent and kilograms to separate proportion change from weight change.

Glossary:

Body composition
Relative amounts of fat and lean tissue.
Body fat percentage
Share of total weight that is fat.
Lean mass (LM)
Weight excluding fat mass.
Fat mass (FM)
Weight attributed to fat.
Body mass index (BMI)
Weight divided by height squared.
Circumference method
Estimates fat from tape measurements.
Logarithm (base 10)
Exponent for which 10 yields a value.
Category band
Named range used for interpretation.