Army Body Fat Calculator
Check body fat against US Army AR 600-9 standards for your age and sex.
About Army Body Fat Calculator
The Army uses a circumference-based method to estimate body fat for soldiers who exceed weight-for-height screening standards. The Hodgdon-Beckett formulas were adopted because they require only a tape measure — no calipers or water displacement. AR 600-9 (2019) sets sex- and age-specific maximum body fat percentages; soldiers who exceed the weight-for-height table but pass the tape test are considered within standards.
Formulas
Male body fat (Hodgdon-Beckett)
% BF = 86.010 × log10(Abdomen − Neck) − 70.041 × log10(Height) + 36.76
- A
- Abdomen circumference in inches
- N
- Neck circumference in inches
- H
- Height in inches
Female body fat (Hodgdon-Beckett)
% BF = 163.205 × log10(Waist + Hip − Neck) − 97.684 × log10(Height) − 78.387
- W
- Waist circumference in inches
- H
- Hip circumference in inches
- N
- Neck circumference in inches
- Ht
- Height in inches
Worked example
With the default values below, Army Body Fat Calculator returns Estimated Body Fat of 14.5. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.
Inputs used
- Biological Sexone of Male, Female
- Male
- Ageaccepts 17–65 years
- 25 years
- Unitsone of Centimetres, Inches
- Centimetres
- Height (cm)accepts 100–250 cm
- 175 cm
- Height (in)accepts 39–98 in
- 69 in
- Neck Circumferenceaccepts 20–80 cm / in
- 38 cm / in
- Abdomen Circumference (males)accepts 40–200 cm / in
- 82 cm / in
- Waist Circumference (females)accepts 40–200 cm / in
- 70 cm / in
- Hip Circumference (females)accepts 50–200 cm / in
- 92 cm / in
Results
- Estimated Body Fat
- 14.5 %
- AR 600-9 Result
- PASS
- Maximum Allowed (AR 600-9)
- 22 %
- MarginPositive = under limit; negative = over limit.
- 7.5 %
- Detail
- 7.5% under the standard.
Step by step
- 1Formula= AR 600-9 male (Hodgdon-Beckett)
- 2Estimated body fat= 14.5%
- 3Age/sex standard= 22% maximum
- 4Result= PASS ✓7.5% within the limit.
Assumptions and limits
- The result is derived only from the 9 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
- In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
- Figures are rounded for display to 1 decimal place, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
- This calculator implements the AR 600-9 (2019) circumference method for informational purposes. It is not an official Army tool. Actual screening must be conducted by trained Army personnel following the official regulation. Results are estimates and should not be used for official military assessments.
- This is an estimate for general information and not professional medical advice. See the full disclaimer for the limits that apply to this kind of calculator.
How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.
This calculator implements the AR 600-9 (2019) circumference method for informational purposes. It is not an official Army tool. Actual screening must be conducted by trained Army personnel following the official regulation. Results are estimates and should not be used for official military assessments.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I take measurements for AR 600-9?
Use a non-elastic tape measure. Neck: below the larynx, perpendicular to the long axis; tilt the head straight, relax the neck. Abdomen (male): at the navel level, horizontal. Waist (female): at the narrowest point of the torso. Hip (female): at the maximum protrusion of the buttocks. Each measurement is taken three times and averaged to the nearest half inch.
What happens if a soldier fails the tape test?
Under AR 600-9 (2019), soldiers who fail are enrolled in the Army Body Composition Program (ABCP). They must comply with a fitness and nutrition program and are re-tested regularly. Repeated failure can affect promotions, assignments and, ultimately, continued service.
Is the circumference method accurate?
The circumference method has ±3–5% error compared to DEXA or hydrostatic weighing. It systematically over-estimates body fat in very lean, muscular individuals and under-estimates in some body types. The Army accepts this trade-off for a field-deployable, inexpensive screening method.