Body Fat Calculator

What Is Body Fat?

Body fat, scientifically known as adipose tissue, is a connective tissue found under your skin, between organs, and even in bone marrow. Adipose tissue is essential to bodily function, even though it’s often frowned upon. Its primary function is to store and release energy, but it also protects the organs, provides insulation, and regulates hormones.

There are two major types of adipose tissue: white and brown. White adipose tissue (WAT) is the most abundant type in your system and is responsible for energy storage, insulation, and organ protection. Excess WAT leads to various health concerns, including obesity.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is primarily found in babies, though adults do retain a small amount, usually in the neck and shoulders. BAT burns calories and warms the body. A third type, described as beige, shares similarities with WAT and BAT. Beige fat is found within WAT deposits but burns calories rather than stores them, typically in response to cold exposure.

Essential fat refers to the bare minimum necessary for basic bodily functions. Storage fat is the excess stored under the skin and around the internal organs. While some is ideal, too much can be harmful.

The Potential Complications of Excess Body Fat

Excess adipose tissue can lead to being overweight and eventually obese if preventative measures are not taken. It increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, mental health issues, certain cancers, and strokes.

While excess can have detrimental effects on your health, insufficient fat can too. Negative effects include heart problems, vitamin deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, fatigue, and a weakened immune system.

How to Estimate Your Body Fat Level

There are several ways to estimate how much of your weight comes from adipose tissue. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), hydrostatic weighing, and air displacement plethysmography are all accurate, but expensive or inconvenient. The calculator above provides an estimate using body mass index, circumference measurements, or skinfold measurements.

BMI Estimation

The BMI estimation method gives an idea of your body fat level using only your height and weight. This method is the least accurate because it uses samples of a sedentary population that shares similar age, sex, and BMI. It doesn’t account for muscle mass, body type, or population differences.

U.S. Navy Method

The U.S. Navy method uses circumference measurements to estimate body fat percentage. You will need a flexible measuring tape for this method. The neck, waist, and hip circumference are used for women, but the hip measurement is not required for men. 

The waist is measured at its narrowest part, usually at the belly button for men or slightly higher for women. The calculator will estimate your body fat percentage based on your measurements, height, and weight.

Jackson & Pollock Skinfold Method

The Jackson & Pollock skinfold method estimates body fat content using skinfold calipers. These tools require some training and experience for maximum accuracy. Different methods are available to accommodate three, four, or seven sites. The more skinfold sites measured, the more accurate your body fat estimate will be.

Consult the skinfold caliper manual for instructions. To guarantee consistency, skinfold measurements should always be taken from the right side. Take at least two measurements of each site, but take a third if the two measurements differ by at least 2mm. Record the average for each site.

Are Body Fat Calculators Accurate?

Body fat calculators are never 100% accurate, not even medical-grade machines, but they are useful in tracking progress. While tape or skinfold measurements won’t provide an exact percentage, consistent measuring will help you notice an increase or decrease in your body fat level.

Skinfold measurement methods have a higher chance of inaccuracy because they are more prone to user error. Using a caliper takes skill and experience to pinch the right site consistently.