Body Fat Calculator

The human body is made up of water, fat, minerals and protein. Essentially there are two types of fat present in our body. One is essential fat that our body requires to perform various functions and which can be found in bones, liver, kidneys, intestines, and muscles. The other is stored fat which is found beneath our skin and is used as an energy source by our body. However, an excess of stored fat can give rise to various atrocities on our health conditions. A body fat calculator as the name suggests calculates the body fat percentage in your body. It takes into account certain metrics like your weight, age, height and neck, and waist size. Body fat percentage in simple words means the percentage of fat your body has in regards to your weight. It is calculated by dividing the total mass of fat present in the body by the total body mass.

Introduction to Body Fat Percentage

Body fat is the fat muscles present in the body which does not comprise any muscle mass, electrolyte, or even body fluids. There are multiple types of fat in the body and two of them are called white fat and brown fat. White fat is for fat storage and they are accumulated in the belly, thighs, and hips. Brown fat on the other hand keeps you warm in the winter. Body fat percentage or BFP is the percentage of body fat in your body. Every individual has a different body fat distribution and it varies depending on the factors of age, gender, health conditions and others. It is through the body fat percentage that one comes upon the conclusion of whether they are overweight, obese or at a healthy weight. The body fat percentage is calculated by dividing the fat mass present in the body by the total body mass and multiplying it by 100.

Is it important to calculate Body Fat Percentage?

It is really important to calculate your body fat using a body fat calculator since the amount of fat your body has plays a huge role in how healthy you are. If your body fat happens to be too high then you are at risk of developing obesity which can lead to a lot of health conditions such as heart disease.

If your body fat percentage is too low then you are also at risk of low immunity and osteoporosis. Hence, it is really important to calculate your body fat with the help of a body fat percentage calculator to be more aware of your health and well-being. In case you are wondering How to lose 15 kg in a month, you can do that by first measuring your body fat percentage so as to plan your lifestyle accordingly.

How to calculate Body Fat Percentage Online

The benefits of technology have given us the opportunity to make our lives convenient. The same is true for the advanced body fat percentage calculators that are now available online and can help come at accurate measurements with few simple steps. Most of the online calculators are based on the US Navy Method. Through below given steps you can conveniently get your body fat percentage:

Step 1: Go to an online body fat percentage calculator

Step 2: Select your gender

Step 3: Enter your age

Step 4: Fill your body weight

Step 5: Enter your height details

Step 6: Fill your neck and waist size in respective columns

Step 7: Press on the ‘Calculate' button

To get accurate results, make sure to enter correct details of your measurements.

Factors that affect Body Fat Percentage

There are a lot of factors that come into play to decide what your body fat percentage will be such as:

Age: As you grow older you tend to gain more fat and lose muscle mass. This is the reason old people have a hard time losing fat.

Race: Some nationalities store more fat in their bodies than others.

Genes: Your genes also play a huge role in deciding your body fat percentage. If your family has a high body fat percentage on average then chances are that you will as well. However, you can lead a healthy lifestyle by keeping track of your body fat with the help of a body fat percentage calculator.

Diet: What you eat is one of the main factors that affect your body fat percentage. If you consume foods that are high in unhealthy fats then eventually you will have a higher body fat percentage.

Exercise: If your lifestyle consists of less exercise and more unhealthy foods then your body fat percentage is bound to increase. To maintain healthy fat levels you have to exercise regularly and keep track of your body fat using a body fat percentage calculator. Try visiting other Weight Loss Blogs to gather up some motivation and kick start your weight management journey.

How does Body Fat Calculator work?

A body fat percentage calculator is really easy to use and requires no effort. Here's how to use it:-

1. All you have to do is enter some metrics such as your age, weight, and height.

2. Then click on the calculate button.

3. The body fat calculator then runs a formula to calculate the right body fat percentage and displays it to you.

What are the formulas to calculate Body Fat?

If you are not using a body fat calculator then given below is a formula that can also be used to calculate your body fat percentage. Do note that this formula requires the measurements of areas like your waist, neck, and hips.

Measurements for women:

Neck: Measures right below your voice box and rounded up.

Waist: Natural waistline is measured

Hips: Largest area of the buttocks is measured

For men:

Neck: Right below the voice box is measured

Waist: Measured at naval

These measurements are averaged and then used in an equation

For women: % body fat = 163.205 x log10 (waist + hip - neck) - 97.684 x log10 (height) - 78.387

For men: % body fat = 86.010 x log10 (abdomen - neck) - 70.041 x log10 (height) + 36.76

You can also supplement your calculations with Ideal Weight Calculator to keep an overall track of your health.

How to use our Body Fat Calculator

There are a lot of ways to calculate your body fat percentage, the easiest of them all is to calculate it with the help of a body fat calculator or a body fat percentage calculator. Livofy presents to you a much efficient way to calculate your body fat percentage in simple steps along with providing useful interpretation. Below given are the steps that you can follow to get accurate results for your body fat percentage:

Step 1: Select your gender

Step 2: Enter your height

Step 3: Fill your weight

Step 4: Enter your neck, waist and hip size in respective columns

Step 5: Press the calculate button

It is important to note that, in order to come at accurate calculations, ensure that the measurements entered by you are correct. If your body fat falls below 6% on the body fat calculator scale, it implies that your body fat is below the essential category which can be an indication of health risks, such as hormonal imbalance in women, irritability, mood swings or fatigue. If the body fat is between 6-14%, you fall in the athletic category and if it's between 14-18%, your body is in the fitness category. The body fat percentage ranging below 25% is considered average and is a healthy measurement. However, the body fat percentage falling above 25% will be categorised as obesity and can give way to various health problems.

How to calculate Body Fat for Men

There are two ways in which you can calculate body fat percentage for men and that is either by using the body fat percentage calculator or using the formula given below:

(1.20 x BMI) + (0.23 x Age) - 16.2 = Body Fat of men (in%)

Through Body Fat Percentage Calculator:

Step 1: Select your gender

Step 2: Enter height and weight details in designated boxes

Step 3: Enter your neck, waist and hip size in respective columns

Step 4: Click on the calculate button

Body fat calculator is the key indicator of healthy body weight and sound lifestyle. For males it is recommended to maintain the body fat level at 15% or lower to lead a healthy lifestyle.

How to calculate Body Fat for Women

There are two ways in which you can calculate body fat percentage for women and that is either by using the body fat percentage calculator or using the formula given below:

(1.20 x BMI) + (0.23 x Age) - 5.4 = Body Fat of women (in%)

Through Body Fat Percentage Calculator:

Step 1: Select your gender

Step 2: Enter height details

Step 3: Fill the weight column

Step 4: Enter your neck, waist and hip size in required boxes

Step 5: Press on the calculate button

Make sure to enter precise measurements to come at accurate calculations. Body fat percentage is directly linked to good health. Females are recommended to maintain a body fat level of 25% or lower to have a sound health.

How to read my Body Fat Percentage?

Body fat calculator can make you more aware of your body fat percentage. Neglecting it for a long time can lead to a lot of negative health consequences. A body fat calculator can also make you healthier by motivating you to live a healthy lifestyle. After getting your calculations, you can analyse whether your body fat level is healthy or it needs any moderation. Once you are done measuring your body fat percentage with the help of either a body fat calculator or the formula mentioned in the above paragraphs you will be in the following ranges:

For men:

For women:

Benefits of using Body Fat Calculator

A body fat percentage calculator can benefit you in a variety of ways such as:

Progress Tracking: A body fat calculator can help you to keep track of your body fat if you are trying to lose weight or just live healthy in general.

Awareness about health: By being more aware of your body fat percentage you can avert a lot of health risks and conditions. It can help you to lead a healthier lifestyle.

Accurate results: A body fat calculator shows you accurate results or the nearest figure. Using a body fat percentage calculator is a better alternative to finding out body fat than doing manual calculations.

Expert Review on Body Fat Calculator

Body fats are the fat muscles present in the body that helps it to perform various essential functions and is also stored as energy which is further utilised by the body. However, if the essential fats exceed substantially, it can potentially lead to various health hazards such as Heart failure, Diabetes, Obesity, Fatigue and others. Body fat percentage helps you calculate your body fat level and is a direct indicator of good health. There are a lot of ways to calculate your body fat percentage, the easiest of them all is to calculate it with the help of a body fat calculator or a body fat percentage calculator. A body fat percentage calculator can help you with managing your weight. By calculating your body fat with the help of a body fat calculator you can be more informed about the risks that come with having excess fat in the body. You can also try your hands at BMI Calculator to have a rough idea of your body fat.

References

“Body Fat | The Nutrition Source | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.” n.d. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Accessed January 10, 2024. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/measuring-fat/.

Gómez, Javier. n.d. “Clinical Usefulness of a New Equation for Estimating Body Fat.” NCBI. Accessed January 10, 2024. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3263863/.

“Measuring body composition - PMC.” 2006. NCBI. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2082845/.