As previously mentioned, fat produces a number of essential hormones that affect a person's body. An excess or a lack of critical hormones can have negative effects that preclude proper body function. On a related note, studies have found that excess body fat, particularly abdominal fat, disrupts the normal balance and function of some of these hormones.

Furthermore, body fat, specifically visceral fat, has a role in the release of specific cytokines, which are a broad category of proteins involved in cell signaling, that can potentially increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Visceral fat is also directly associated with higher levels of low-density lipoprotein LDL cholesterol, lower high-density lipoprotein HDL cholesterol, and insulin resistance. LDL cholesterol is commonly referred to as "bad cholesterol" while HDL is referred to as "good cholesterol.

Insulin resistance involves cells not properly responding to the hormone insulin, which can lead to high blood sugar levels, and eventually to type 2 diabetes.

As can be seen, excess visceral fat can have measurable negative impacts to a person's health. There are many specific techniques used for measuring body fat. The calculator above uses a method involving equations developed at the Naval Health Research Center by Hodgdon and Beckett in The method for measuring the relevant body parts as well as the specific equations used are provided below:.

Once these measurements are obtained, use the following formulas to calculate an estimate of body fat. Two equations are provided, one using the U. customary system USC , which uses inches, and the other using the International System of Units, specifically the unit of centimeters:.

Note that the results of these calculations are only an estimate since they are based on many different assumptions to make them as applicable to as many people as possible. For more accurate measurements of body fat, the use of instruments such as bioelectric impedance analysis or hydrostatic density testing is necessary.

Another method for calculating an estimate of body fat percentage uses BMI. Refer to the BMI Calculator to obtain an estimate of BMI for use with the BMI method, as well as further detail on how BMI is calculated, its implications, and its limitations.

Briefly, the estimation of BMI involves the use of formulas that require the measurement of a person's height and weight.

Given BMI, the following formulas can be used to estimate a person's body fat percentage. US units metric units other units. Gender male female Age Weight pounds Height feet inches Neck feet inches Waist feet inches Hip feet inches Weight kg Height cm Neck cm Waist cm Hip cm.

Result Body Fat: Fitness and Health Calculators. BMI Calorie Body Fat BMR Macro Ideal Weight Pregnancy Pregnancy Weight Gain Pregnancy Conception Due Date Pace More Fitness and Health Calculators. Financial Fitness and Health Math Other. about us sitemap terms of use privacy policy © - calculator.

male female. It is actually adipose tissue; its main function is to store energy in the form of lipids, but it cushions and insulates your body, too.

Your body stores two types of fat: essential and storage body fat. The former is necessary to support life and reproductive functions.

Essential body fat is substantially higher for women because of childbearing and hormonal functions. Storage body fat is the mass of additional accumulated fat. It does not mean that this type of body fat is unnecessary, though - part of it protects your abdomen and internal organs.

You can estimate your body composition with our body fat percentage calculator. Remember that no calculator, however complicated, can replace a visit in a doctor's office. You should treat this result as a rough estimate; it can only tell you if your body fat percentage is drastically too high, but there's no reason to panic if the result differ slightly from the recommended value.

Once you have gather all the data, you can input them all into the body fat calculator. If you are interested how it works, here are the formula we use:. This equation was validated by the American Diabetes Association. It was tested on 6, people and showed estimated error of 4.

For example, an extremely muscular person will have high weight and BMI values, yet we can't say that such a person is obese. If you're looking for more detailed and accurate calculations, try our Navy Body Fat tool. Once you calculated your body fat percentage, you should compare it with the recommended values.

The list below comes from the American Council on Exercise and shows the average percentages in specified groups. Higher levels of body fat may be dangerous for you.

The chart below shows the average body fat percentages of Americans from samples between — It is taken from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the United States. You need some body fat to regulate the production of hormones.

An excessive percentage of body fat, however, can cause multiple health problems, such as:. If you type "how to calculate body fat" into your search engine, you will discover that there are multiple methods for measuring the body fat percentage. In fact, there are even multiple different formulas used in various calculators.

The list below gives you some alternative methods. Reducing body fat is not the same as losing weight. It's not enough to lower your calorie intake and hope for the best. We listed a few basic rules for you, but remember that it is always better to contact a dietitian before starting any diet.

Reading all that things you may start to think; "fat is bad and it would be the best to have non of it at all. Let me give you examples! Andreas Münzer was an Austrian professional bodybuilder. In his preparation and training he used multiple ergogenic acids, steroids, diuretics. He was known for his extremely low body fat levels.

Unfortunately, his drug taking lead to complications, and he developed upper gastrointestinal track bleeding, which caused his death, because he had no fat to cope with the medical stress after the surgery. However, no body fat happens not only to bodybuilders. Lizzie Velásquez is a famous American motivational speaker and YouTuber.

She suffers from extremely rare congenital disease called Marfanoid—progeroid—lipodystrophy syndrome. One of its symptoms is preventing body from accumulating fat tissue and gaining weight, what causes that such patients have zero percent of body fat.

She has never weighed more than 29 kg and is required to eat about calories daily! Body fat is not the most accurate measure of health however, and it becomes more acceptable to have more body fat the older you are, due to your metabolism slowing.

Fat leaves the body primarily through the lungs when you exhale. This is because when fat is used as an energy source, the reaction uses oxygen to produce energy. As a byproduct of this process, carbon dioxide is produced, which then enters the blood and ends up back in the lungs, where it leaves the body.

Fat is also released via sweat, urine, and feces. When you need to use your stored fat for energy, your body begins releasing fatty acids into the blood.

Here they are transported around the body to the muscles in need. Once in the muscles, they are broken down, releasing energy and CO 2. The CO 2 then leaves the body through the lungs or urine. Fats are an essential part of our diet; they provide us with energy , are used in cell growth , and are made into essential hormones.

Fatty tissues protect our organs from physical damage, and provide us with insulation. Too many fatty tissues will act as new pathways for diseases to form.

To maximise their accuracy, follow their instructions as closely as possible. They work by passing a harmless electric current round your body and measuring the resistance.

They are, however, very dependent on body water content, so follow the instructions carefully. This is, however, not certain as fat loss depends on a lot of different factors, so please consult with your doctor or dietician before losing a large amount of weight.

Your body burns fat when there is not enough energy in your bloodstream to meet the requirements of your current needs. If you have just eaten, you body will use up that energy before burning through fat. Also, if you have no fat to burn, the body will burn muscle instead.

Embed Share via. Body Fat Calculator Created by Łucja Zaborowska , MD, PhD candidate and Bogna Szyk. Reviewed by Jack Bowater. Gómez-Ambrosi J, Silva C, Catalán V, et al.

Clinical usefulness of a new equation for estimating body fat; Diabetes Care; February See 1 more source. Cortés-Castell E, Juste M, Palazón-Bru A, Monge L, Sánchez-Ferrer F, Rizo-Baeza MM.

A simple equation to estimate body fat percentage in children with overweightness or obesity: a retrospective study. Table of contents: The composition of the human body What is body fat?

How to calculate body fat? Is my body fat percentage normal? Why should I control my body fat? Alternative methods of measuring body fat How to reduce body fat? Is fat so bad? What is body fat? Weight: simply weigh yourself. You will get the most accurate result weighing yourself in the morning, before breakfast, and without clothes on.

Height: stand straight, and measure the distance from the floor to the top of your head. Remember - no shoes! An excessive percentage of body fat, however, can cause multiple health problems, such as: Heart diseases: obesity and high levels of body fat can lead to high blood pressure and high levels of bad cholesterol, which are also risk factors for heart diseases.

In extreme cases, they can lead to strokes, the third most common cause of death in the United States. Male hormones problems: high body fat level in a woman's body can lead to an excessive production of male hormones, causing facial hair growth and acne.

Diabetes: high body fat can lead to type 2 diabetes. There's a strong correlation between diabetes and being overweight; people most at risk for developing type 2 diabetes are those who have a high body mass index BMI and a high body fat percentage.

Hips Hips Circumference of the largest area of hips. Lean Body Weight:. Disclaimer: The information given on this site is meant to help you reach your fitness goals. It is not meant to substitute for the advice of your physician.

All information given in Body Tracker, My Workout Trainer, and on this website is meant to be an estimate. For specific information regarding your body fat percentage or health, please consult your physician. Linear Software will not be held responsible for any injury or problems resulting from the use of Body Tracker, My Workout Trainer, or this web site.

Fat Caliper Help Help Rollover below for detailed instructions on how to use a caliper correctly. Fat caliper measurement sites. Images and video We have images and videos of all the measurement sites Watch Videos.

When you need to use your stored fat for energy, your body begins releasing fatty acids into the blood. Here they are transported around the body to the muscles in need.

Once in the muscles, they are broken down, releasing energy and CO 2. The CO 2 then leaves the body through the lungs or urine. Fats are an essential part of our diet; they provide us with energy , are used in cell growth , and are made into essential hormones. Fatty tissues protect our organs from physical damage, and provide us with insulation.

Too many fatty tissues will act as new pathways for diseases to form. To maximise their accuracy, follow their instructions as closely as possible. They work by passing a harmless electric current round your body and measuring the resistance.

They are, however, very dependent on body water content, so follow the instructions carefully. This is, however, not certain as fat loss depends on a lot of different factors, so please consult with your doctor or dietician before losing a large amount of weight.

Your body burns fat when there is not enough energy in your bloodstream to meet the requirements of your current needs. If you have just eaten, you body will use up that energy before burning through fat. Also, if you have no fat to burn, the body will burn muscle instead.

Embed Share via. Body Fat Calculator Created by Łucja Zaborowska , MD, PhD candidate and Bogna Szyk. Reviewed by Jack Bowater.

Gómez-Ambrosi J, Silva C, Catalán V, et al. Clinical usefulness of a new equation for estimating body fat; Diabetes Care; February See 1 more source.

Cortés-Castell E, Juste M, Palazón-Bru A, Monge L, Sánchez-Ferrer F, Rizo-Baeza MM. A simple equation to estimate body fat percentage in children with overweightness or obesity: a retrospective study. Table of contents: The composition of the human body What is body fat?

How to calculate body fat? Is my body fat percentage normal? Why should I control my body fat? Alternative methods of measuring body fat How to reduce body fat? Is fat so bad? What is body fat? Weight: simply weigh yourself.

You will get the most accurate result weighing yourself in the morning, before breakfast, and without clothes on. Height: stand straight, and measure the distance from the floor to the top of your head. Remember - no shoes! An excessive percentage of body fat, however, can cause multiple health problems, such as: Heart diseases: obesity and high levels of body fat can lead to high blood pressure and high levels of bad cholesterol, which are also risk factors for heart diseases.

In extreme cases, they can lead to strokes, the third most common cause of death in the United States. Male hormones problems: high body fat level in a woman's body can lead to an excessive production of male hormones, causing facial hair growth and acne.

Diabetes: high body fat can lead to type 2 diabetes. There's a strong correlation between diabetes and being overweight; people most at risk for developing type 2 diabetes are those who have a high body mass index BMI and a high body fat percentage.

Pregnancy complications: Women with high body fat levels are more likely to give birth prematurely or have children with health problems, including obesity. They are also more likely to need a Cesarean delivery. Alternative methods of measuring body fat If you type "how to calculate body fat" into your search engine, you will discover that there are multiple methods for measuring the body fat percentage.

Underwater weighing: fat cells in humans have a density of 0. The lean body mass has a higher density - 1. Knowing this difference, it is possible to determine the density of the whole body by submerging it in water. After making some corrections for air in lungs, you can calculate the percentage of body fat with only a small uncertainty.

Skinfold method: it is a method, in which you pinch your skin in several standardized places with calipers and measure the thickness of the fat layer. It requires from three to seven measurements. The drawback of this method is that it only measures the adipose tissue layer directly below the skin, and doesn't take into account any internal body fat.

From BMI: there are some formulas that allow body fat percentage to be calculated directly from the BMI. They are not really accurate, though, as the amount of body fat for two people with the same BMI might be completely different. Ultrasound: it can be used to measure tissue structure and hence the amount of adipose tissue directly below the skin.

How to reduce body fat? Go for long-term: you should plan losing your body fat in long term, starting with some moderate exercises and gradually increasing their intensity.

If you are really obese, you should begin with the basic exercise of walking. Do both weight lifting and cardio exercises. Body therapies give the body a better shape and toned look and not just random fat loss.

They are like passive exercise. The fat sitting deep within is mobilized and utilized from problem areas. Belly fat, also called the abdominal fat and visceral fat, is not just about waist size. It is about your health.

Take this quiz to find out how much you know about your belly fat. Body Mass Index. The BMI calculator helps you assess your weight indicating if it is normal or if you are underweight or overweight, based on your height.

Resting Metabolic Rate RMR. We burn calories even when we rest. Daily Calorie Counter for Indian Food. Do you wish to know your daily calorie intake?

Counting calories is an effective way to prevent obesity. This is the right place for you to calculate the calories in the daily Indian meal.

Daily Calorie Requirements. Are you health conscious? If yes, go ahead to find out your approximate daily calorie requirement, which varies depending on the lifestyle and activities. This calculator indicates an approximate calorie requirement for a person having a normal How to Lose Weight? Slide show which explains obesity causes and tips on how to lose weight.

Exercising before breakfast is most effective for weight loss. Weight Loss Program For Men. Maintaining a food diary and keeping a track of what you eat is the best way to keep your weight under check. Weight Loss Quick Fixes. Quick fix weight loss solutions are tempting when one is desperate to shed off the extra kilos, be it for a big occasion or post a holiday.

Diet and Nutrition for Healthy Weight Loss. Correct diet and a planned exercise regime is the mantra of healthy and sustainable weight loss. Weight Loss Surgery - Sleeve Gastrectomy - Animation. Health Screening Guidelines. Use these Health Screening Guidelines that list the medical conditions you should be screened for in your next health check-up.

Anorexia or Bulimia Screening Test. Do you binge-eat secretly most of the time? Or do you feel so guilty after eating that you badly want to self-induce vomiting and get the food out. Check out if you are a victim of eating disorder. Diabetes Risk Assessment Calculator. Almost one-third of the people are unaware of the risk factors of diabetes.

Find out if you run the risk of diabetes by using Diabetes Risk Assessment calculator. Online Mini Health Checkup. Mini health check up is a quick and simple way to assess your current health status and risks for heart disease, if any.

It predicts your life expectancy too. Fitness Calculator. Exercise or Fitness Calculator assesses your flexibility, strength and stamina based on your performance in various fitness exercises like sit and reach, push up and aerobic exercises. Top Fat Burning Workouts.

Academic Affairs. Admitted Students. Undergraduate Degrees. Research Strengths. Gillings MPH Practicum. Global Health. Global Faculty. Advancement Team. Apply Donate Now. American Body Composition Calculator. Department of Nutrition at Gillings School of Global Public Health.

Nutrition and Dietetics Concentration. Nutrition Coalition. Practice and Continuing Education PACE Division. Continuing Education. UNC Nutrition Obesity Research Center. UNC CHAI Core. To learn more about the science behind the American Body Composition Calculator, see the article published in the International Journal of Obesity.

More information about Dr. June Stevens and her research is available online. Information for:. Prospective Students. Student Resources.

Student Handbook. Related BMI Calculator Calorie Calculator Ideal Weight Calculator. The scientific term for body fat is "adipose tissue.

Its primary purpose is to store lipids from which the body creates energy. In addition, it secretes a number of important hormones, and provides the body with some cushioning as well as insulation. Body fat includes essential body fat and storage body fat.

Essential body fat is a base level of fat that is found in most parts of the body. It is necessary fat that maintains life and reproductive functions.

While having excess body fat can have many detrimental effects on a person's health, insufficient body fat can have negative health effects of its own, and maintaining a body fat percentage below, or even at the essential body fat percentage range is a topic that should be discussed with a medical professional.

Storage fat is fat that accumulates in adipose tissue, be it subcutaneous fat deep under the dermis and wrapped around vital organs or visceral fat fat located inside the abdominal cavity, between organs , and references to body fat typically refer to this type of fat. While some storage fat is ideal, excess amounts of storage fat can have serious negative health implications.

Excess body fat leads to the condition of being overweight and eventually to obesity given that insufficient measures are taken to curb increasing body fat. Note that being overweight does not necessarily indicate an excess of body fat. A person's body weight is comprised of multiple factors including but not limited to body fat, muscle, bone density, and water content.

Thus, highly muscular people are often classified as overweight. The rate at which body fat accumulates is different from person to person and is dependent on many factors including genetic factors as well as behavioral factors such as lack of exercise and excessive food intake.

Due to varying factors, it can be more difficult for certain people to reduce body fat stored in the abdominal region. However, managing diet and exercise has been shown to reduce stored fat. Note that both women and men store body fat differently and that this can change over time. After the age of 40 or after menopause in some cases for women , reduced sexual hormones can lead to excess body fat around the stomach in men, or around the buttocks and thighs of women.

The World Health Organization WHO classifies obesity as one of the leading preventable causes of death worldwide that is estimated to claim , to , deaths per year in the U.

This has been a growing cause for concern because adults are defined as obese according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity is associated with a reduction in quality of life, poorer mental health outcomes, obstructive sleep apnea, as well as multiple leading causes of death worldwide such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, certain cancers and diabetes.

All of these potential complications have the ability to reduce a person's life expectancy, and as such, obesity is a medical condition that is studied by many researchers. As previously mentioned, fat produces a number of essential hormones that affect a person's body.

An excess or a lack of critical hormones can have negative effects that preclude proper body function. On a related note, studies have found that excess body fat, particularly abdominal fat, disrupts the normal balance and function of some of these hormones.

Furthermore, body fat, specifically visceral fat, has a role in the release of specific cytokines, which are a broad category of proteins involved in cell signaling, that can potentially increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.