Body fat often gets a bad rap, but it serves an important purpose. Your body stores the fat from the foods you eat in deposits that can be used for energy, insulation, and protection. Everyone needs some fat to live and function. When too much body fat accumulates, however, it can lead to obesity and obesity-related diseases, like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Figuring out how much body fat you have isn’t necessarily as easy as looking in a mirror or stepping on a scale. A bodybuilder and an obese person may be the same weight, but they have very different body fat percentages. Your weight alone cannot tell you much muscle or fat you have. Instead, you’ll need to determine your body fat percentage.
Body Fat Calculator (BMI Method)
The World Health Organisation on BMI
For adults 20 years old and older, BMI is interpreted using standard weight status categories. These categories are the same for men and women of all body types and ages.
The standard weight status categories associated with BMI ranges for adults are shown in the following table.
| BMI | Weight Status |
|---|---|
| Below 18.5 | Underweight |
| 18.5 – 24.9 | Normal or Healthy Weight |
| 25.0 – 29.9 | Overweight |
| 30.0 and Above | Obese |
Accuracy
Taking measurements and plugging numbers into an online calculator is relatively easy, but this method isn’t necessarily the most accurate. There’s a lot of room for error when measuring yourself. Things like clothing, what you’ve eaten, and how tightly you pull the tape measure may also affect results.
Though not a sure-proof method, using a tape measure can give a rough estimate on the body fat percentage that can be used in other calculators such as Lean Body Mass.
For a more accurate estimate visit Navy Body Fat Calculator
