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Army Body Fat Calculator

Estimate body fat with the U.S. Army 2023 one-site tape method (ALARACT 046/2023) from your weight and abdominal circumference, and see if you meet the AR 600-9 standard for your age and sex.

Gender
years
lb
in

Measured at the navel at the end of a normal exhalation.

Body Fat

Within Army standard

19%

Maximum allowed for your age & sex
22%
Margin
3% under the limit
Body Fat19 %View results

This calculator uses the U.S. Army's 2023 one-site tape method to estimate body fat from just your weight and abdominal circumference, then checks the result against the AR 600-9 maximum for your age and sex. It's the same approach used in the Army Body Composition Program after the ALARACT 046/2023 update.

Formula

The one-site equations use body weight in pounds and abdominal circumference in inches:

Men:   %body fat = -26.97 - (0.12 × weight) + (1.99 × abdomen)
Women: %body fat =  -9.15 - (0.015 × weight) + (1.27 × abdomen)

The result is rounded to a whole percent and compared with the maximum allowed for your age group.

This is a screening estimate, not a clinical body composition measurement. Soldiers who fail the tape test can request a supplemental assessment such as DXA or the Bod Pod.

Maximum allowable body fat (AR 600-9)

Age groupMaleFemale
17–2020%30%
21–2722%32%
28–3924%34%
40+26%36%

Examples

Male, age 25, 180 lb, 34 in waist

%fat = -26.97 - 0.12 × 180 + 1.99 × 34 = -26.97 - 21.6 + 67.66 ≈ 19%. The limit for a 25-year-old man is 22%, so this is within standard by 3%.

Female, age 30, 140 lb, 30 in waist

%fat = -9.15 - 0.015 × 140 + 1.27 × 30 = -9.15 - 2.1 + 38.1 ≈ 27%. The limit for a 30-year-old woman is 34%, so this is within standard by 7%.

Frequently asked questions

What method does the Army use to measure body fat?
As of June 2023 (ALARACT 046/2023, revising AR 600-9), the Army uses a one-site circumference tape method. It needs only your body weight and the abdominal circumference measured at the navel — the older multi-site method that also used neck and hip is no longer the primary test.
How is the abdominal circumference measured?
The tape is placed horizontally around the abdomen at the level of the navel (belly button), and the measurement is read at the end of a normal exhalation. Take it to the nearest half inch. Keep the tape snug but not compressing the skin.
What is the maximum allowed body fat in the Army?
It depends on age and sex. For men the limit rises from 20% (ages 17–20) to 26% (40+); for women it rises from 30% to 36% across the same brackets. This calculator shows the exact limit for your age and sex and whether you're within it.
Who is exempt from the Army body fat assessment?
Soldiers who score 540 or higher on the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) with at least 80 points in each event are exempt from the body fat assessment under Army Directive 2023-08, even if they exceed the height/weight table.
What happens if a soldier fails the tape test?
Soldiers who fail the one-site tape test (and a follow-up confirmation test) may request a supplemental body fat assessment using more precise methods such as DXA, the InBody 770, or the Bod Pod, subject to command approval.

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