Height
Record in cmStanding height, from the floor to the top of the head.
Enter the height reading alongside the tape measurements.
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Method guide
U.S. Navy Body Fat Calculator
Uses standing height and body circumferences, with an additional hip measurement for women.
Calculate
- Accuracy
- ±4-6%Typical error against a reference method
- Equipment
- a soft tape measure, a reliable way to measure standing height
- Measurement count
- 3 for men · 4 for women
Counts include age, weight and height when required.
How to measure
How to take the measurements
Equipment and Good Technique
Use a flexible tape directly against the body where practical. A good circumference reading follows one level path, stays snug without compressing the skin, and is read without twisting the tape. Stand naturally and keep the measured area relaxed rather than changing posture to influence the result.
Measure standing height without shoes on a level floor. Stand tall, look straight ahead and record the distance from the floor to the top of the head without rounding.
Required Inputs and Measurement Locations
Measure every item listed for your calculation. Labels show when an input applies only to men or women.
Neck Circumference
Record in cmAround the neck at the larynx.
Keep the head neutral and read the snug, level tape without pulling it into the skin.
Waist Circumference
Record in cmAround the waist at navel level.
Relax the abdomen, keep the tape level, and reuse the same marked waist level.
Hips Circumference
Women onlyRecord in cmAround the widest point of the hips and buttocks.
Stand evenly, circle the fullest point, and check from the side that the tape remains level.
Measurement Protocol
Follow this sequence
- Measure under repeatable conditions, ideally in the morning before eating or drinking and not immediately after exercise.
- Record standing height without shoes, then choose the circumference set for the selected gender.
- Measure the neck and waist in order, adding the hips for the women’s calculation.
- Remove and replace the tape for repeat readings instead of reading the same placement twice.
- Average only consistent readings; if they disagree, find the landmark again and check tape level and tension.
Accuracy and mistakes
How accurate is the U.S. Navy method?
U.S. Navy has an estimated accuracy range of ±4–6% with proper technique. Use that range alongside the method’s practical limitations when deciding whether it suits your measurements.
Who it suits: People who have a soft tape and a reliable way to record standing height, but no calipers.
The trade-off: The equipment is simple, yet the calculation is sensitive to how the neck, waist and women’s hip circumferences are located and read.
What This Method Measures
Uses standing height and body circumferences, with an additional hip measurement for women.
The U.S. Navy method estimates body fat from height and body circumferences. Men record height, neck and waist; women also measure the hips. The protocol uses a soft tape rather than skinfold calipers, so correct landmarks and consistent tape tension matter.
It suits people who want a field-style tape method without a body-weight input. The tradeoff is that a circumference can change when posture, tape angle or tension changes. Standing height belongs to the same input set, so it should be recorded with the same care as every circumference.
- Required inputs
- 3–4 per calculation, with gender-specific inputs labelled below.
- Equipment
- Prepare a soft tape measure and a reliable way to measure standing height.
Common mistakes that change the result
- Pulling the neck tape into the skin or holding the head out of neutral.
- Letting the waist or hip tape slope instead of remaining level.
- Holding the abdomen in while the waist is measured.
- Omitting the hip input from the women’s calculation.
- Entering a height measured in shoes or with bent posture.
What the estimate means
The calculator turns the recorded inputs into a body fat percentage estimate. For U.S. Navy, the estimated accuracy range is ±4–6% with proper technique. A range is not a promise that one reading is exact.
Treat the result as an estimate. When tracking changes, compare readings collected with the same method and procedure. A changed tool, landmark, body side, timing or operator can make readings less comparable. The number does not diagnose health or replace qualified advice, and formulas with different inputs are not interchangeable.
How this compares to other methods
Ordered by typical error, lowest first. Counts include age, weight and height when required.
| Method | AccuracyTypical error against a reference method | Measurement count | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parrillo | ±3-4% | 10 | skinfold calipers, a body-weight scale |
| Jackson & Pollock 7-Site | ±3-4% | 8 | skinfold calipers |
| Jackson & Pollock 4-Site | ±3.5-4.5% | 5 | skinfold calipers |
| Durnin & Womersley | ±3.5-5% | 5 | skinfold calipers |
| Jackson & Pollock 3-Site | ±4-5% | 4 | skinfold calipers |
| Covert Bailey | ±4-5% | 5 | a soft tape measure |
| U.S. NavyCurrent method | ±4-6% | 3 for men · 4 for women | a soft tape measure, a reliable way to measure standing height |
| Modified YMCA | ±4-6% | 2 for men · 5 for women | a soft tape measure, a body-weight scale |
| YMCA | ±5-7% | 2 | a soft tape measure, a body-weight scale |
Where to Go Next
Read the evidence guide
Review the sources and limitations behind U.S. Navy on its paired research page.
View research →Use the calculator app
Take your prepared readings to Body Fat Calculator, select U.S. Navy, and enter the measurements listed for your calculation.
PRO+ includes measurement history and progress tracking in the app. You can also sync app results with Apple Health on iOS when you enable the integration and grant permission.
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