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Body Fat Percentage--
Fat Mass--
Lean Body Mass--
Category--
Ideal Weight (21-24%)--
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About

Accurate body composition tracking requires more than a simple bathroom scale. Weight fluctuates daily due to water retention, hormonal cycles, and sodium intake. This tool utilizes the US Navy circumference method to isolate adipose tissue from lean body mass. The algorithm accounts for the natural gynoid fat distribution where tissue accumulates around the hips and thighs. Measurements should be taken at the same time during the menstrual cycle to minimize data noise from bloating. This method provides a reliable baseline for monitoring fat loss without the variance of bioimpedance scales.

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Formulas

The calculation relies on the relationship between height and body circumferences. The formula assumes a specific density of fat versus muscle.

BF = 4951.29579 0.35004 × log10waist + hip neck + 0.22100 × log10height 450

Lean Body Mass (LBM) is derived by subtracting fat mass from total weight.

LBM = Weight × 1 BF100

Reference Data

CategoryRange (%)Description
Essential Fat10-13%Minimal physiological requirement
Athletes14-20%High performance conditioning
Fitness21-24%Healthy and active
Average25-31%General population norm
Obese32%Increased health risk
Age 20-39 Ideal21-33%Age-adjusted benchmark
Age 40-59 Ideal23-34%Age-adjusted benchmark
Age 60-79 Ideal24-36%Age-adjusted benchmark

Frequently Asked Questions

Hormonal shifts cause water retention which increases circumference measurements temporarily. This inflates the calculated body fat percentage incorrectly. Measure during the follicular phase or the same day each month.
Yes. Women store essential fat in the pelvic region for reproductive health. Excluding hips ignores a significant depot of gynoid fat and leads to underestimation.
The US Navy method is less prone to user error than calipers. Calipers require skilled technicians to pinch skinfolds accurately while tape measurements are easily self-administered.
Most tape measure algorithms have a standard deviation of 3 to 4 percent compared to hydrostatic weighing. Consistency in measurement placement is more important than absolute precision.