Body Fat Calculator

Obesity, overweight, and body fat

Body fat is known scientifically as “adipose tissue.” Adipose tissue performs several vital roles. Its main function is to store lipids, which the body uses to produce energy. Along with giving the body some insulation and cushioning, it also secretes several vital hormones.

Both store and vital body fat are included in body fat. The majority of body components include essential body fat, which is the foundational amount of fat. It is essential fat for reproductive and life-sustaining processes. Men and women often have different amounts of essential fat—roughly 2–5% for men and 10–13% for women. Generally speaking, men should have between 8 and 19 percent body fat, while women should have between 21 and 33 percent. Although a person’s health might suffer from having too much body fat in many ways, consequences of its own, and it is advisable to speak with a medical professional about keeping body fat below or even within the necessary range.

The term “body fat” usually refers to storage fat, which is defined as fat that builds up in adipose tissue. It might be visceral fat, which is found inside the abdominal cavity, between organs, or subcutaneous fat, which is found deep beneath the dermis and around essential organs. A certain amount of stored fat is good for you, but too much of it can be harmful to your health.

Because insufficient steps are done to curb the increase in body fat, excess body fat leads to overweight and ultimately obesity. Keep in mind that being overweight does not always mean that you have too much body fat. Body fat, muscle, bone density, and water content are some of the components that make up an individual’s weight. As a result, people with a lot of muscle are frequently labeled overweight.

Each person has a unique rate of body fat accumulation, which is influenced by a variety of factors, including genetics and behavioral factors like overeating and inactivity. Some people may find it more difficult to lose body fat that is accumulated in their abdomens for a variety of reasons. Keep in mind that men and women store body fat in different ways, and that these differences may alter over time. Reduced sexual hormones can cause excess body fat around the stomach in men and around the buttocks and thighs in women beyond the age of 40 (or after menopause in rare situations).

Possible Side Effects of Too Much Body Fat

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity is one of the major preventable causes of death globally, accounting for between 111,909 and 365,000 deaths annually in the United States. Since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classify obesity as affecting 36.5% of U.S. adults, this has been an increasing source of worry.

Obstructive sleep apnea, a lower quality of life, worse mental health outcomes, and several major causes of death globally, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and several types of cancer, are all linked to obesity. A person’s life expectancy may be shortened by any of these possible problems, which is why obesity is a medical issue that many researchers are interested in.

As was already discussed, fat generates several vital hormones that have an impact on an individual’s body. Critical hormones can have detrimental consequences that prevent the body from functioning properly, either in excess or insufficiently. Relatedly, research has shown that too much body fat, especially around the abdomen, throws off the natural balance and action of certain of these hormones. Additionally, body fat—more especially, visceral fat—contributes to the release of certain cytokines, a large class of proteins involved in cell signaling, which may raise the risk of cardiovascular disease. Additionally, there is a clear correlation between visceral fat and insulin resistance,

lower levels of HDL cholesterol, and higher levels of LDL cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is frequently known as “good cholesterol.” Heart attacks and other problems can result from artery blockages caused by high LDL cholesterol levels. Insulin resistance, which can result in elevated blood sugar levels and ultimately type 2 diabetes, is the result of cells not reacting appropriately to the hormone insulin. As is evident, having too much visceral fat can have quantifiable detrimental effects on one’s health.

Calculating the Percentage of Body Fat

There are numerous specialized methods for calculating body fat. Equations created by Hodgdon and Beckett at the Naval Health Research Center in 1984 are used in the calculator above. Below are the precise formulae utilized and the methodology for measuring the pertinent body parts:

• For men, measure the subject’s waist circumference at a horizontal level around the navel; for women, measure at the level with the least amount of width. To get precise measures, make sure the individual is not pulling their tummy inward.
• With the tape sloping downward toward the front, measure the subject’s neck circumference beginning beneath the larynx. The person should refrain from extending their neck.
• Only for women:Using the biggest horizontal measurement, find the subject’s hip circumference.

After obtaining these measurements, estimate your body fat using the following methods. Two equations are given, one in inches using the U.S. customary system (USC) and the other in centimeters using the International System of Units:

The formula for body fat percentage (BFP) in men:

Because these calculations are based on a wide range of assumptions to be as applicable to as many people as possible, it should be noted that the results are simply estimates. The use of tools like hydrostatic density testing or bioelectric impedance analysis is required for more precise measures of body fat.

Formula for fat mass (FM):

Weight × BF = FM

Weight – FM = LM

BMI Approach:

Body Mass Index (BMI) is another way to evaluate body fat proportion. For more information on how BMI is determined, its ramifications, and its limitations, as well as to get an estimate of BMI for use with the BMI technique, see the BMI Calculator. In a nutshell, algorithms that require a person’s height and weight are used to estimate their BMI. The following formulas can be used to calculate an individual’s body fat percentage based on their BMI.

Formula for body fat percentage (BFP) in adult males:

0.23 × Age – 16.2 + 1.20 × BMI = BFP

Formula for body fat percentage (BFP) in adult females:

Age – 5.4 × BFP = 1.20 × BMI + 0.23 ×

For males, the body fat percentage (BFP) formula is:

Age – 2.2 – 0.70 × BMI – 1.51 × BFP

The formula for body fat percentage (BFP) in girls:

Age + 1.4 – 0.70 × BMI – 1.51 × BFP