Army Body Fat Calculator: Charts & Calculation

The Army Body Fat Calculator is predicated on the U.S. Army Standards of Medical Fitness. Accordingly, it will compute your body fat percentage. From that, it will show if that measured body fat percentage complies with the military recruitment standard, the standard after entering the army, or the most strict standard of compliance with the objective of the Department of Defense or not. To make sure your measurements are accurate, take the average of at least three dimensions. You can also compute to the nearest ½ or ¼ inch for the most exact result. 

Why do we need a body fat calculator?

It doesn’t always feel great when we’re told that our bodies are out of shape, but some people are made to feel worse than others. Obviously, it can be difficult and embarrassing for someone who is overweight or obese to go into the doctor’s office for a physical examination. For people who have undergone bariatric surgery or weight loss programs like ‘The Biggest Loser,’ examinations can include skinfold calipers and bioimpedance analysis measurements.

Army Body Fat Calculator

An army body fat calculator is a great tool for those interested in joining the military. Body fat percentage in soldiers ranges from 8-37%. With an army body fat calculator, you can calculate your body fat percentage and see what it means!

There are three different weight categories to choose from: male, female, or any other measurement you may be more familiar with. The number of calories burned will depend on your gender and height as well as your age, weight class, current weight, etc.

Requirements for Body Fat Percentage to Join and Maintain in Service*

Age Group	Male	Female
17-20	24% (max)	30% (max)
21-27	26% (max)	32% (max)
28-39	28% (max)	34% (max)
40 and over	30% (max)	36% (max)

Revised Body Fat Percentage Standards for Active Service Members*

Age Group	Male	Female
17-20	20% (max)	30% (max)
21-27	22% (max)	32% (max)
28-39	24% (max)	34% (max)
40 and over	26% (max)	36% (max)

Note: The percentages provided represent the maximum allowable body fat percentage for individuals to join the service based on their age and gender. Additionally, active service members are required to maintain body fat percentage within the designated standards for their respective age group and gender.

Through the Department of Defense’s goals regarding body fat percentages for males and females. It is recommended for males to maintain a body fat percentage of 18%, while females should aim for 26%. These targets serve as benchmarks to ensure optimal physical fitness and readiness within the armed forces.

Once individuals have met the initial qualifications, their body fat levels will be periodically measured to monitor their progress. If an individual fails to meet the requirements, they may be required to participate in a mandatory weight loss program. Additionally, administrative sanctions may be imposed to encourage compliance with the body fat standards.

The Standards of Medical Fitness outline the specific criteria for measuring body fat based on a person’s physical dimensions. For males, height, neck, and waist size are taken into account, while females have additional considerations such as hip size. It is important to note that accurate measurements are taken with the subject standing upright, arms resting naturally on both sides. The neck is measured just below the larynx, and the waist is measured at the point of minimum circumference or near the belly button. In contrast, the hip measurement is taken at its widest point.

The PFT/CFT (Physical Fitness Test/Combat Fitness Test) and body fat calculator are closely related tools used in assessing the physical fitness and readiness of individuals, particularly within the United States Marine Corps. While the PFT/CFT test evaluates overall fitness performance through exercises such as pull-ups, crunches, and a timed run, the body fat calculator focuses specifically on measuring body composition. By incorporating the results from the body fat calculator into the PFT/CFT assessment, a more comprehensive understanding of an individual’s fitness level can be obtained. This combined approach ensures that not only are individuals meeting the performance standards of the PFT/CFT, but also maintaining an acceptable body fat percentage necessary for optimal physical readiness.

What is the Military Tape Test?

The military tape standard is a main method which is used in the military to calculate the body fat percentage for all military officers. Accordingly, the test should be administered to all servicemen at least every six months to make sure that they achieve the imperative standards.

The organization requires all soldiers to maintain specific health and fitness standards to meet sufficient severity. And body fat is one of the most vital physical measurements they should keep. 

There are different ways to measure body fat percentage. The most popular of these methods is the Body Mass Index (BMI). The formula for BMI is weight of body in kg divided by height in meters squared. The following tables define the standard BMI in the Army:

BMI Score	The Weight Rank
Less than 18.5	Underweight
From 18.5 to 24.9	Normal or healthy
From 25.0 to 29.9	Overweight
30.0 or higher	Obese

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

However, the military tape test will have its own measurements for body fat percentage. Accordingly, they will measure the circumference around the neck and two points at the abdomen. Refer to the calculator at the top of the article to measure your own body fat percentage or keep reading to understand more about this indicator in the military. 

How Does the Military Tape Test Work?

The Department of Defense requires that all military officers have to be accessed with the standard tape test at least every six months to make sure that they keep their proper health status. The parts that will be measured are the abdomen and neck for males and waist, neck, and hips for females. 

For both men and women, the neck measurement will be abstracted from the other proportions in an equation. This equation is typically designed to decide their circumference value. After that, they will compare those results against the height measurements using the charts created by the Pentagon. As a result, your body fat percentage will be determined. 

For more details, you can see at the following table in which the present military body mass policy obliges all the soldier officers to keep body fat levels.

Age group	Maximum body fat for male (%)	Maximum body fat for female (%)
17-20	20%	30%
21-27	22%	32%
28-39	24%	34%
40 and older	26%	36%

Source: Department of the Army, “The Army Body Composition Program.”

If you exceed the Army body fat standards, the consequences will be extremely severe. They can be limited to higher ranks or promotions and even discharge. 

Key Takeaways

• The military tape test is the official or legitimate procedure used to compute a soldier’s body fat percentage.
• The method will contrast the height to circumference proportions at two points around the neck and abdomen (for men) and three points around the neck, waist, and hips (for women) to decide the body fat levels.
• Officers’ maximum body fat percentages will be different, depending on age and gender.

How to Calculate Body Fat Using the Measuring Tape Method?

There are different ways to compute body fat levels in men and women. However, the Army will use a standard measurement method with a tape measure. This procedure varies between males and females. Below are detailed measuring guidelines for both men and women officers. 

Measuring Guidelines for Female

1. Measure your neck

All the measurements will use the tape that is flat on your skin. Remember not to compress the tape. There are 3 main steps to estimate your neck size:

• Firstly, look straight ahead and relax your shoulders without bending.
• Then place the tape level around your neck. Make sure you put it below your larynx (Adam’s apple). Keep the tape even so that it is at the same height when on the front and back sides of your neck.
• Round off the measured number to the nearest half-inch. For instance, if your neck is 15.6 inches, round up to 16 inches. 

2. Measure your waist

The waist measurement is usually calculated based on the abdomen circumference at the most narrow point. Generally, these points are between your sternum and belly button. If you don’t know which is the right point, you can compute some points and use the smallest number. Here are detailed steps:

• For the best result, you can ask someone else to measure your waist. Make sure you hang your arms during the measurement.
• Just breathe in and out ordinarily.
• Then record abdominal proportions at the end of the breath. You should round that value down to the nearest half-inch. For instance, if your waist measures 27.4 inches, round it down to 27 inches. 

3. Measure your hip

Females might contain more body fat around their hips than males. Therefore, this indicator is applied to women only when it comes to the Army body fat standards. Follow these steps to estimate your hip measurements accurately. 

• You can measure on either your skin or thin clothing. However, if the clothing is so tight that it compresses your soft tissue, you should change to other clothes and wait for around 30 minutes to start measuring. 
• Next, wrap the tape around your hips. Make sure it wraps around the widest part of your butt when seen from the side. For the most precise number, keep the tape parallel to the ground where you stand on.
• Record this value and round it down to the nearest half-inch. In particular, if your hips are 35.4 inches, round it down to 35 inches. 

4. Measure your height

Lastly, take your height into account because taller women tend to have bigger measurements than shorter females with the same measurements. 

• Firstly, stand upright and against a wall. Make sure you stand on a flat surface.
• Then pull your shoulders back, keep your head up (by keeping your chin parallel to the floor and your ears aligned to your shoulders), and keep your eyes straight ahead.
• Stand in that posture, place a ruler on your head top. Keep it flat and mark the wall with a pen or pencil.
• After that, calculate your height from the floor up to the mark that you have just highlighted. 

5. Enter your recorded results into the Army body fat calculator at the top of the article
6. Interpret your result

See more in the Army Body Fat Chart below to see how your BMI status is.

Measuring Guideline for Male

1. Measure your neck

The first proportion you need to compute is your neck. Follow these steps to ensure you calculate it precisely. 

• Firstly, look straight ahead. Rest your shoulders without bending them back.
• Then place the measuring tape below your Adam’s apple. This point of men is more apparent than women. 
• Put the tape even and pull it around your neck. Make sure it wraps the neck circumference. 
• Note the result. You should round the value up to the nearest half-inch. For example, if your neck circumference measures 16.7 inches, then you should write down 17 inches. 

2. Measure your abdomen

Your abdomen is usually seen to be the part containing the highest amounts of body fat. Therefore, it is very important for you to measure this part. You should not wear your shirt when doing this for the most accurate result. Also, don’t let the tape compress your soft tissue when wrapping it around your waist. 

• Firstly, wrap the tape around your abdomen at the navel.
• It is better to ask someone else to do this while keeping your arms hanging at your sides.
• Just inhale and exhale as normal.
• Then write down the waist measurement.

3. Measure your height

Since your height affects your body fat percentage, you also need to compute it. Just follow these guidelines for more accurate results.

• Stand on a flat floor. You can stand upright against a wall for the most exact measurement.
• Make sure you keep your head up and eyes straight ahead. Besides, remember always to keep your shoulder back. 
• Put a ruler right at the top of your head and use a pencil to mark that point. 
• Then expand the tape from the floor to that marked location.
• Note the value down in inches. For example, if you are 6 inches, then write down 72 inches. 

4. Enter your recorded data into the Army body fat calculator at the top of the article
5. Interpret your result

See more in Army Body Fat Chart below to see how your BMI status is.

Army Body Fat Chart [Updated for 2021]

According to the Army Regulation 600-9, males and females are allowed to meet the following body fat percentage standards. Nevertheless, all of them are encouraged to reach the stricter DOD goals that are 26% body fat for women and 18% body fat for men. Let’s look at the two following tables for more details. 

The maximum permissible body fat percentage for males

Age group	Body fat (percentage)
17-20	20%
21-27	22%
28-39	24%
40+	26%

The maximum permissible body fat percentage for women:

Age group	Body fat (percentage)
17-20	30%
21-27	32%
28-39	34%
40+	36%

You will have to pay the price for unattainable standards of weight, height, and body fat. Soldiers who are overweight or more severely obese, including army personnel pregnant while on a weight control program, will not be assigned or promoted to a higher rank, leadership positions. Typically, they will not be allowed to participate in professional military training schools. Failure to meet that standard can cause the loss of career advancement opportunities that might be only offered once in a while.

Army Height and Weight Chart for New Male Recruits [Updated for 2021]

Height (in Inches)	Minimum Weight (in lbs)	Maximum Weight (Age 17-20) (in lbs)	Maximum Weight (Age 21-27) (in lbs)	Maximum Weight (Age 28-39) (in lbs)	Maximum Weight (Age 40+) (in lbs)
58	91
59	94
60	97	132	136	139	141
61	100	136	140	144	146
62	104	141	144	148	150
63	107	145	149	153	155
62	110	150	154	158	160
65	114	155	159	163	165
66	117	160	163	168	170
67	121	165	169	174	178
68	125	170	174	179	181
69	128	175	179	184	186
70	132	180	185	189	182
71	136	185	189	194	197
72	140	190	195	200	203
73	144	195	200	205	208
74	148	201	206	211	214
75	152	206	212	217	220
76	156	212	217	223	226
77	160	218	223	229	232
78	164	223	229	235	238
79	168	239	235	241	234
80	173	234	240	247	250

Army Height and Weight Chart for New Female Recruits [Updated for 2021]

Height (in Inches)	Minimum Weight (in lbs)	Maximum Weight (Age 17-20) (in lbs)	Maximum Weight (Age 21-27) (in lbs)	Maximum Weight (Age 28-39) (in lbs)	Maximum Weight (Age 40+) (in lbs)
58	91	119	121	122	123
59	94	124	125	126	128
60	97	128	129	131	133
61	100	132	134	135	137
62	104	136	138	140	142
63	107	141	143	144	146
64	110	145	147	149	151
65	114	150	152	154	156
66	117	155	156	158	161
67	121	159	161	163	166
68	125	164	166	168	171
69	128	169	171	173	176
70	132	174	176	178	181
71	136	179	181	183	186
72	140	184	186	188	191
73	144	189	191	194	197
74	148	194	197	199	202
75	152	200	202	2-4	208
76	156	205	207	210	213
77	160	210	213	215	219
78	164	216	218	221	225
79	168	221	224	227	230
80	173	227	230	233	236

Frequently Asked Questions

The following part will give you answers to some of the most popularly asked questions about army body fat. Therefore, you can partly understand standard knowledge and prepare necessary things. Let’s check it out.

How is Army body fat calculated?

The standard formula to calculate your body fat percentage is relatively complex based on the Department of Defense formula. Accordingly, the formula for males would be % body fat = 86.010 x log10(abdomen – neck) – 70.041 x log10(height) + 36.76. And the formula for females will be % body fat = 163.205 x log10(waist + hip – neck) – 97.684 x log10(height) – 78.387.

How much body fat am I allowed in the Army?

The maximum body fat percentage that is allowed in the Army will be different for men and women. It also depends on the service and age. For example, the measurement for males will range from 18 to 26 percent, while that for women will be from 26 to 34 percent.

What are the tape test standards?

According to Army regulation 600-9, males and females will have different Army body fat standards to meet when taking the tape test. The requirements are also divided into age groups, height and weight, and gender standards. For example, two soldiers having the same weight but different genders and heights will have two different maximum body fat percentages. 

What measurements are used for the tape test?

The tape test in the Army includes the following measurements:

• Body weight and height
• The neck circumference
• The distance around the abdomen or waist
• The distance around the hips (women only)

Please note that all the measurements are calculated and round to the nearest half-inch. 

How to make sure you pass the tape test?

Regular exercise, a healthy diet, and an accountability system are very important factors you need to keep in mind to ensure that you pass the tape test. 

Can you join the army if you are fat?

You can still serve the United States Armed Forces if you are obese by getting a medical exemption. Accordingly, about 20% of new recruits need a medical exemption to participate in the training program. Nevertheless, those who are medically exempt must lose their weight and meet the minimum requirements before the end of the training program to continue training in the boot camp.

Where do males and females get tapped by the Army?

The U.S Army uses a fundamental weight-height body mass index to assess body fat percentage standards. Accordingly, women are measured at the beck, waist, and hips, while men at the neck and abdomen. 

What happens if you fail the Army tape test?

In most cases, when you don’t pass the Army tape test, you will not be eligible for a promotion, transfer, re-enrollment, or the opportunities to study at professional schools.