Body fat is generally calculated in the form of body fat percentage. Slightly different procedures are followed in the calculation of body fat for men and women. Body fat calculation can be easily done using the formulas given in this article on how to calculate body fat. You need to perform some simple calculations and use some formulae to calculate body fat.
Calculating body fat for men
Formula for calculating body fat for men is
Body fat percentage = ((total bodyweight – Lean bodyweight) × 100)/ body weight
Before calculating body fat you need to calculate certain values required in the calculation of body fat such as body weight and waist girth. When you have calculated your body weight and waist girth follow the steps given below:
- Step 1: Multiply your calculated body weight by 1.082 and then add the result obtained from this to 94.42. Save the final result obtained from the calculations.
Body weight × 1.082
- Step 2: Multiply your calculated waist girth by 4.15. Save this result also.
Waist girth × 4.15
- Step 3: Subtract the result you got in step 2 from the result obtained in step 1. This value is your lean body weight. Lean body weight is your body weight when your body had no fat at all.
Lean body weight = Result obtained in step 1 – Result obtained in step 2
- Step 4: Now, subtract your lean body weight from your total body weight. Finally multiply this number by 100.
(Total body weight – Lean bodyweight) × 100
- Step 5: This is the final step, divide the result obtained in step 4 by your total body weight. This is your body fat percentage or body fat.
Body fat percentage = Result obtained from step 4 / Total body weight
Calculating body fat for women
The formula used for calculating the body fat for women is same as the formula used to calculate the body fat for men, but the process of calculating the lean body mass and body weight is different.
Before you start calculating the body fat for women, you need to calculate body weight, wrist circumference, waist circumference, hip circumference and forearm circumference. When you get all these measurements you can start your calculations following the steps below:
Steps for calculating body fat for women
- Step 1: Initially multiply your body weight by 0.732 and add this result to 8.987 and save this result.
- Step 2: Divide your calculated wrist circumference by 3.14 and save the result.
- Step 3: Multiply your calculated waist circumference by 0.157 and save the result.
- Step 4: Multiply the hip measurement by 0.249 and save this result also.
- Step 5: Multiply your forearm measurement by 0.434 and save the result.
- Step 6: Add result obtained in step 1 and step 2.
- Step 7: Subtract result obtained in step 3 from result obtained in step 6.
- Step 8: Subtract result obtained in step 4 from result obtained in step 7.
- Step 9: Finally add result obtained in step 5 and result obtained in step 8. This is your lean body mass.
- Step 10: Now use the formula you used for calculating body fat for men to calculate the body fat for women i.e. subtract your lean body mass from your bodyweight and multiply the result obtained by 100, divide this result by total body weight. This is your body fat or body fat percentage.
The calculations are quiet lengthy to be performed manually, so you can use calculators to perform these calculations to make it easy for you. You may also use online calculators for calculating your body fat or body fat percentage.
Related Tags: Calculate absolute fat mass, calculate lean weight, calculating percentage fat mass and body circumferences, fat percentage formula
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