How to measure body fat with a tape measure
No calipers, no smart scale. The US Navy method estimates body fat from your height and two or three circumferences.
Short answer
Measure your height, neck (below the larynx) and waist (at the navel for men, narrowest point for women), plus hips for women, then use the US Navy formula. Our free calculator does the maths. It’s typically within a few percentage points of lab tests and works best as a trend.
The measurements
- Neck: just below the Adam’s apple, tape sloping slightly down at the front.
- Waist (men): horizontally at the navel.
- Waist (women): at the narrowest point.
- Hips (women): widest part of the buttocks.
- Height: barefoot.
Calculate it
Use the free body fat calculator, which uses the formulas from the US Department of Defense body composition standard.
How accurate is it?
For most adults the Navy method lands within about 3–4 percentage points of DEXA, with larger errors at very low or very high body fat. Its strength is consistency: measured the same way, changes over time are meaningful. Pair it with photos and a waist measurement and you have a better picture than a smart scale gives you.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is tape measure body fat accurate?
Accurate enough to track trends; less accurate for a single absolute number.
Which is better: tape, calipers or a smart scale?
Tape is the most repeatable at home. Calipers need practice. Smart scales move with hydration.
Sources
- US Department of Defense Instruction 1308.03, DoD Physical Fitness and Body Composition Program (formulas)
- Hodgdon JA, Beckett MB. Prediction of percent body fat for U.S. Navy men and women from body circumferences and height. Naval Health Research Center, 1984