Army Body Fat Calculator
Estimate your body-fat percentage using the Army's tape-test formula from AR 600-9, The Army Body Composition Program. All measurements are taken with a non-stretching cloth tape to the nearest 0.5 inch. This is the same method used for the Army Body Composition Program (ABCP) screening.
How to Measure
- Height — stand erect against a wall, looking straight ahead. Measure without shoes, to the nearest 0.5 inch.
- Neck — measure just below the larynx ("Adam's apple") with the tape level and perpendicular to the long axis of the neck. Soldier looks straight ahead.
- Abdomen (Male) — measure horizontally at the navel, at the end of a normal exhalation. Do not pull in the stomach.
- Waist (Female) — measure horizontally at the narrowest point of the natural waist, between the bottom of the rib cage and the top of the hip.
- Hip (Female only) — measure horizontally at the widest point of the hips/buttocks, with the soldier's feet together.
- Take three measurements at each site; if they vary by more than 1 inch, take a fourth and average.
Frequently Asked Questions
What formula does this calculator use?
The Hodgdon-Beckett tape-test formula documented in AR 600-9. Male: %BF = 86.010 × log10(abdomen − neck) − 70.041 × log10(height) + 36.76. Female: %BF = 163.205 × log10(waist + hip − neck) − 97.684 × log10(height) − 78.387.
When do I have to do the tape test?
When you exceed the screening weight tables in AR 600-9 for your height and age. Body composition is also checked at semi-annual record AFTs and certain in-processing events.
What are the current body-fat standards?
AR 600-9 sets maximum allowable body-fat percentages by age and sex. The standards have been updated periodically — always check the current published version of AR 600-9 from the Army Publishing Directorate before relying on a specific cutoff.
What if I fail the body-fat assessment?
Soldiers who exceed the body-fat standard are enrolled in the Army Body Composition Program (ABCP). Failure to make satisfactory progress can result in adverse personnel actions per AR 600-9. Talk to your S1 and a healthcare provider for the current procedures.
Is the tape test accurate?
The tape test is an estimate, not a clinical measurement. It tends to over-estimate body fat for very muscular soldiers and under-estimate for soldiers with above-average fat distribution in non-measured areas. For diagnostic body composition, talk to your healthcare provider.