How does the Army measure body fat?

With a tape (circumference) method under AR 600-9 — neck and abdomen for men, neck, waist and hips for women — entered into the body-fat equation.

What are the Army body fat standards?

Maximum allowable body fat rises with age and differs by sex; see the table (values from the current regulation).

Is the Army tape test accurate?

It's a quick estimate within a few percent of lab methods and is used for compliance, not clinical precision.

Army tape test vs Navy method — what's the difference?

They share the circumference approach but use different reference standards and pass/fail rules.

What happens if I fail the body fat standard?

Soldiers are typically enrolled in the Army Body Composition Program — check current policy with your unit.

Army Body Fat Calculator

This Army body fat calculator estimates your body fat with the U.S. Army circumference (tape) method and checks it against the AR 600-9 maximum-allowable standard for your age and sex.

Standard as of June 2026. The Army moved to a streamlined one-site abdominal tape method under Army Directive 2023-11 (effective June 2023). The official ABCP Body Fat Calculator on armyresilience.army.mil is authoritative for an official tape test. This tool uses the published circumference equation as an estimate and applies the current AR 600-9 maximum-allowable body-fat table for the pass/fail check. Always confirm with your unit and the current regulation.

What the Army tape test is

The Army Body Composition Program (ABCP), governed by AR 600-9, screens soldiers on height and weight first; those who exceed the weight screen get a circumference (tape) body-fat assessment. If estimated body fat is at or below the standard for the soldier's age and sex, they're in compliance.

How measurements are taken

Neck: just below the larynx, tape sloped slightly down at the front.
Men — abdomen: horizontally at the navel, at the end of a normal breath.
Women — waist: at the narrowest point of the torso.
Women — hips: at the widest point of the buttocks.

The currently-effective one-site method uses a single abdominal measurement; this estimator uses the published multi-site circumference equation, which needs the neck measurement above.

The AR 600-9 body fat standard

Maximum allowable body fat by age and sex (Table B-2):

Age	Men (max)	Women (max)
17–20	20%	30%
21–27	22%	32%
28–39	24%	34%
40+	26%	36%

Source: AR 600-9 / Army Directive 2023-11, Table B-2 (verified June 2026).

Worked example

A 25-year-old man, 70 in tall, with a 16 in neck and 36 in abdomen: %BF = 86.010·log₁₀(36 − 16) − 70.041·log₁₀(70) + 36.76 ≈ 19.4%. The standard for his age is 22%, so he passes.

Civilian alternative

The Army method is closely related to the civilian U.S. Navy body fat calculator: both use circumferences and height, but they apply different reference standards and pass/fail rules. To track lean tissue instead, see the Lean Body Mass Calculator.

Frequently asked questions

How does the Army measure body fat?: With a tape (circumference) method under AR 600-9 — neck and abdomen for men, neck, waist and hips for women — entered into the body-fat equation.
What are the Army body fat standards?: Maximum allowable body fat rises with age and differs by sex; see the table (values from the current regulation).
Is the Army tape test accurate?: It's a quick estimate within a few percent of lab methods and is used for compliance, not clinical precision.
Army tape test vs Navy method — what's the difference?: They share the circumference approach but use different reference standards and pass/fail rules.
What happens if I fail the body fat standard?: Soldiers are typically enrolled in the Army Body Composition Program — check current policy with your unit.

Related calculators

Disclaimer. This is an unofficial estimate for general information; the standard shown is current as of June 2026. Confirm with your unit and the official ABCP calculator. Not medical advice.