CALCULATOR 23
Army Body Fat Calculator
The U.S. Army's one-site tape test: body fat % from your weight and waist, against the Army standard for your age.
Body fat
Choose the sex used in the formulas.
For general information only; not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before making health decisions.
How this is calculated
Men, weight in lb, abdomen at the navel in inches
Body fat % = −26.97 − 0.12 × weight + 1.99 × abdomen
Women
Body fat % = −9.15 − 0.015 × weight + 1.27 × abdomen
Maximum body fat to stay in (retention)
Men: 17–20 20% · 21–27 22% · 28–39 24% · 40+ 26% Women: 17–20 30% · 21–27 32% · 28–39 34% · 40+ 36%
Maximum body fat to join (accession)
Men: 24% · 26% · 28% · 30% Women: 30% · 32% · 34% · 36%
This is an estimate for practice. The official test follows the measuring and rounding rules on DA Forms 5500 and 5501, and soldiers with a high fitness test score may be exempt from the tape.
Sources
- Headquarters, Department of the Army (2023), Army Directive 2023-11 (Army Body Composition Program), DA Forms 5500 and 5501; AR 600-9.
About the army body fat calculator
How the one-site tape test works
Since 2023 the Army estimates body fat from one tape measurement: the abdomen at the level of the navel, plus body weight. It replaced the older neck-and-waist (and hip, for women) method, which was harder to measure the same way twice. Army research comparing both methods with DXA scans found the single site more accurate.
Read more about the Army Body Fat calculator
Measuring your abdomen
Stand relaxed with arms at your sides. Run the tape horizontally around your abdomen at the navel, snug but not compressing the skin, and read it at the end of a normal breath out. Take three measurements and use the average.
When the tape applies
Soldiers are taped when they're over the screening weight for their height. Those over their age group's body fat limit enter the Army Body Composition Program. Applicants must meet the accession standard, which is looser for men.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Army body fat limit?
To stay in: 20–26% for men and 30–36% for women, rising with age. To join: 24–30% for men and 30–36% for women.
Does the Army still measure the neck?
No. Since 2023 the tape test uses only the abdomen at the navel, plus body weight.
Is this accurate for non-soldiers?
It was built on soldiers and checked against DXA scans. For general use, the Navy method in our body fat calculator works too.