Army Body Fat Calculator
This is a U.S. army body fat calculator based on the U.S. Army Regulations of Standards of Medical Fitness published on Sep. 10 2008. This calculator will give out the body fat percentage as well as the compliance situation to the army recruitment standard, the body fat percentage standard after entry, or the more stringent Department of Defense goal. To ensure the accuracy, please measure three times and take the average. Also please measure to nearest 1/2 inch, 1/4 inch if possible.
Reference
Appropriate body fat is one of the medical fitness requirements to join and stay in the U.S. Army. The Department of Defense releases the body fat requirements every few years as part of the Standards of Medical Fitness. The latest release was published on Sep. 10 2008 and the requirement was summarized in the following two tables.
Maximum Allowable Body Fat Percentage to Join*
| Age | Male | Female |
| 17-20 | 26% | 32% |
| 21-27 | 26% | 32% |
| 28-39 | 28% | 34% |
| 40 and over | 30% | 38% |
Maximum Body Fat Percentage Standard after Entry*
| Age | Male | Female |
| 17-20 | 20% | 30% |
| 21-27 | 22% | 32% |
| 28-39 | 24% | 34% |
| 40 and over | 26% | 36% |
More stringent Department of Defense goal: 18% body fat for males and 26% body fat for females.*
After initial qualification, the body fat of a member will be measured periodically. Those who failed in meeting the requirement may be put into mandatory weight loss program and/or subject to administrative sanctions.
According the Standards of Medical Fitness, the body fat was calculated based on the physical size of a person, which includes height/neck/waist size for man and height/neck/waist/hip size for woman. When measuring, you should stand straight, relaxed with arms at sides. The neck size should be measured at the point just below the level of the larynx. The waist size should be measured at the point of minimal circumference, or close to the belly button. The hip size should be measured at the most busted point of the hip.
* from Army Regulation 40-501—Standards of Medical Fitness dated on 10 September 2008.