Body Fat Percentage Calculator

The functioning of this tool and the content on this page have been verified by iCliniq medical review team.

The term "body fat percentage" is normally associated with professional bodybuilders. This is because much ado is made about a low body in bodybuilding circles. As this fact creates awareness towards developing low body fat, it also creates a somewhat limited perception. Body fat percentage can be divergent and dissimilar in two individuals. Meaning, a person with 35% fat in his body can be deemed salubrious whereas a person with just 5% body fat can be prone to serious health issues. This fact is absolutely comprehensible because the body fat is pivoted on a person's statistics like age, gender, height, and weight. As these elements differ from one person to another, the interpretation of the body fat percentage varies accordingly.Our Body Fat Percentage Calculator estimates the percentage of your body fat in your total body weight.

It is important to note the differences of body fat percentages between men and women. Mainly, women are healthier with higher body fat percentages than men. This is because women require higher fat levels for a safe and healthy pregnancy.

Two types of body fat are found in the body, one is the Essential Body Fat and the other is the Storage Body Fat. The Essential Body Fat is important to support life and reproductive functions. It is usually higher in women than in men. The Storage Body Fat is the mass of additional accumulated fat. Though some deem it as unnecessary; it is needed because it protects your abdomen and internal organs.

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How is Body Fat Percentage (BFP) calculated?

The Body Fat Percentage is calculated with the help of the following formula:

Body Fat Percentage (BFP) = (Body Fat Weight / Weight in pounds) * 100

To know the Body Fat Weight (BFW), the following formula is utilized.

Body Fat Weight(BFW) = Weight in pounds - Lean Body Mass

Now, to estimate your Lean Body Mass (LBM), you need to apply the below-mentioned formulas:

For men:
Lean Body Mass(LBM) = (Weight in pounds * 1.082) + 94.42 - (Waist in inches * 4.15)

For women:
Lean Body Mass(LBM) = (Weight in pounds * 0.732) + 8.987 + (Wrist in inches / 3.140) - (Waist in inches * 0.157) - (Hip in inches * 0.249) + (Forearm in inches * 0.434)

For this you will need the following:

Weight in pounds: You need to get the most accurate figure by weighing yourself in the morning before breakfast without the clothes on.
Waist in inches: The waist is the narrowest part of your torso. The measuring tape you bring around your waist should fit tightly, but it should not "dig" into your skin.
Forearm in inches: The measuring tape is put around the thickest part of your forearm close to your elbow. This measurement is only needed for females.
Wrist in inches: The measuring tape is wrapped around your wrist around the fullest part. Again, this measurement is needed only for females.
Hip in inches: Hips are the widest point below your waist. You need to measure your hip in inches. You need to weigh your hips without any clothes on and ensure that both your feet are kept together. Again, this measurement is needed only for females.

After taking all these measurements, the formula is now applied.

For Lean Body Mass in men, you first need to multiply weight in pounds with 1.082 and this becomes our first component. To get the second component, you need to multiply waist in inches with 4.15. Therefore, the LBM in mean is obtained by subtracting the second component from the addition of the first component and 94.42.

The Lean Body Mass formula in women needs five components. The first component is multiplying weight in pounds with 0.732. The second component is dividing the wrist in inches by 3.140. The third component is nothing but waist in inches multiplied by 0.157. The fourth component is hip in inches multiplied with 0.249, and the fifth component is multiplying forearm in inches with 0.434. Now, the first component is added to 8.987 and this is now added to the second component. The third and fourth components are subtracted from this added amount. The gross result got is now added to the fifth component to provide you LBM in women.

This Lean Body Mass is subtracted from weight in pounds to give you the Body Fat Weight.

The Body Fat Percentage is arrived at by first dividing the Body Fat Weight by weight in pounds and then multiplying this answer with 100. Thus, after a series of successful calculations, you attain your Body Fat Percentage.

Body Fat Percentage Categories:

The American Council on Exercise has categorized the body fat percentages range as follows:

Category	Men	Women
Essential Fat	2% to 5%	10% to 13%
Athletes	6% to 13%	14% to 20%
Fitness	14% to 17%	21% to 24%
Acceptable	18% to 24%	25% to 31%
Obesity	25% and above	32% and above

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