Work out body fat (ymca method) instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
The YMCA method needs only a waist measurement and body weight, working in imperial units internally: fat pounds = 4.15 x waist inches - 0.082 x weight pounds - 98.42 for men. A 90 cm waist at 80 kg gives about 22% fat. It is the least equipment-hungry estimate and correspondingly the roughest, with errors of 4-5 percentage points.
YMCA formula, men
fat lb = 4.15 x waist(in) - 0.082 x weight(lb) - 98.42
YMCA formula, women
fat lb = 4.15 x waist(in) - 0.082 x weight(lb) - 76.76
These figures are population-average estimates, not a medical assessment or diagnosis. Body composition equations carry errors of several percentage points, and healthy ranges vary with age, ethnicity, muscularity and medical history. Discuss weight or body composition goals with a qualified clinician or dietitian.
Because abdominal circumference correlates most strongly with total body fat in sedentary populations, which is who the equation was fitted on.
Muscular people, whose weight term inflates the estimate, and anyone with a slim waist but high peripheral fat.