Army Body Fat Calculator
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Results
Waist-to-height ratio 0.485: meets the Army standard of less than 0.550 (Army Directive 2026-13).
Since July 7, 2026, waist-to-height ratio is the Army's only body-composition standard (Army Directive 2026-13). The height-and-weight tables, the tape test and the AFT-score exemption no longer apply. Official results come from trained teams, with a second team re-measuring on the same day before any action.
The Army records the ratio to three decimals without rounding, so 0.549 passes and 0.550 does not. Existing pregnancy and postpartum exemptions remain. Check your unit’s instructions for how the tape is read.
This is an estimate from a published formula, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian about your own situation.
How to use the Army body fat calculator
- Enter your height in feet and inches (or centimeters) and your waist measured at the navel.
- Read the waist-to-height ratio and whether it is below 0.550, plus the largest waist that meets the standard at your height.
- Optionally add weight, sex and age to see the former 2023 one-site tape estimate. It no longer decides anything, but some Soldiers still like to compare.
The current standard: waist-to-height ratio
Recorded to 3 decimals, digits after the third dropped (not rounded)
Standard: WHtR < 0.550 · Largest waist = 0.55 × height (must be below it)
Army Directive 2026-13, "Army Body Composition Program and Standards", was signed on July 1, 2026 and took effect when it was published on July 7, 2026. It made waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) the only body-composition assessment for the Regular Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve, and the Army FAQ says it also applies to USMA and Senior ROTC cadets. Soldiers are measured at least twice a year, at least seven days away from a fitness test. A ratio of 0.55 or more leads to a second measurement by a different team the same day, and then enrollment in the Army Body Composition Program if it is confirmed. The ratio is unitless, so centimeters give the same answer as inches.
Worked example
A Soldier 5 ft 10 in tall (70 in) with a 34 in waist has a ratio of 34 ÷ 70 = 0.48571…, recorded as 0.485, which meets the standard. At that height the waist must be under 0.55 × 70 = 38.5 in. Exactly 38.5 in gives 0.550, which fails, because the standard is "less than, but not equal to" 0.55.
Waist limits by height
Generated with the calculator's engine: the waist must be strictly less than the value shown.
| Height | Inches | Waist under (in) | Waist under (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 ft 10 in | 58 | 31.9 | 81 |
| 4 ft 11 in | 59 | 32.45 | 82.4 |
| 5 ft 0 in | 60 | 33 | 83.8 |
| 5 ft 1 in | 61 | 33.55 | 85.2 |
| 5 ft 2 in | 62 | 34.1 | 86.6 |
| 5 ft 3 in | 63 | 34.65 | 88 |
| 5 ft 4 in | 64 | 35.2 | 89.4 |
| 5 ft 5 in | 65 | 35.75 | 90.8 |
| 5 ft 6 in | 66 | 36.3 | 92.2 |
| 5 ft 7 in | 67 | 36.85 | 93.6 |
| 5 ft 8 in | 68 | 37.4 | 95 |
| 5 ft 9 in | 69 | 37.95 | 96.4 |
| 5 ft 10 in | 70 | 38.5 | 97.8 |
| 5 ft 11 in | 71 | 39.05 | 99.2 |
| 6 ft 0 in | 72 | 39.6 | 100.6 |
| 6 ft 1 in | 73 | 40.15 | 102 |
| 6 ft 2 in | 74 | 40.7 | 103.4 |
| 6 ft 3 in | 75 | 41.25 | 104.8 |
| 6 ft 4 in | 76 | 41.8 | 106.2 |
| 6 ft 5 in | 77 | 42.35 | 107.6 |
| 6 ft 6 in | 78 | 42.9 | 109 |
| 6 ft 7 in | 79 | 43.45 | 110.4 |
| 6 ft 8 in | 80 | 44 | 111.8 |
What changed, and when
- June 2023: Army Directive 2023-11 replaced the neck-and-waist tape with a one-site abdominal tape test and its own formula (procedures in ALARACT 046/2023). Soldiers scoring 540 or more on the ACFT could be exempt (AD 2023-08).
- September 2025: Army Directive 2025-17 exempted Soldiers scoring 465 or more on the new Army Fitness Test, with at least 80 points in each event.
- July 7, 2026: Army Directive 2026-13 rescinded the tape test, the height-and-weight tables and the AFT exemption, and adopted the waist-to-height ratio. HQDA will review the standard after 180 days, and no one is separated for a WHtR failure until that review is complete.
The former one-site tape test (reference only)
Under AD 2023-11, body fat was estimated from weight and the abdominal circumference at the navel: men −26.97 − 0.12 × weight (lb) + 1.99 × abdomen (in); women −9.15 − 0.015 × weight (lb) + 1.27 × abdomen (in), rounded to the nearest whole percent. The Army's own examples give a man of 210 lb with a 35 in abdomen 17.48% (17%) and a woman of 165 lb with a 30 in abdomen 26.475% (26%). The limits below no longer apply.
| Age group | Former maximum, men | Former maximum, women |
|---|---|---|
| 17–20 | 20% | 30% |
| 21–27 | 22% | 32% |
| 28–39 | 24% | 34% |
| 40 and older | 26% | 36% |
Measuring tips
- Find the navel, not the narrowest point. The Army site is the belly button, which is often lower and larger than the natural waist.
- Keep the tape level and snug. It should touch the skin all the way round without pressing in. Breathe out normally first.
- Measure height without shoes, standing straight against a wall. An inch of height moves the limit by 0.55 in.
- This tool is not an official assessment. Your unit's trained teams and DA Form 5500 decide the result.
For a general body-fat estimate, use the body fat calculator; for waist-to-height ratio as a health screen, the overweight calculator. This is not medical advice; talk to a doctor or registered dietitian.
Sources
- HQDA, Army Body Composition Program and Standards: fact sheet and FAQ (effective date July 7, 2026). The FAQ refers to the directive as AD 2026-06; the directive itself is numbered 2026-13.
- Army Directive 2026-13, Army Body Composition Program and Standards (signed July 1, 2026).
- U.S. Army, The full measure: The Army's new WHtR standard (September 18, 2026).
- ALARACT 046/2023, Notification of new Army body fat assessment for the Army Body Composition Program (June 12, 2023), tables B-2 and B-5.
Checked October 2026. Army policy can change; confirm with your unit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Army body fat standard in 2026?
Since July 7, 2026, the Army no longer uses a body-fat percentage. Army Directive 2026-13 made waist-to-height ratio the only body-composition standard: your waist at the navel divided by your height must be less than 0.55. Soldiers are measured at least twice a year.
How is the Army waist-to-height ratio calculated?
Measure the waist at the navel in inches and divide by height in inches. The Army records the result to three decimals without rounding, so 0.549 passes and 0.550 fails. A Soldier 5 ft 10 in (70 in) tall needs a waist under 38.5 inches.
Does the Army still use the tape test?
No. The directive rescinded the one-site tape test, the height-and-weight screening tables and other body-fat methods, and they can no longer be used to challenge a waist-to-height result. If a Soldier does not meet the standard, a different team re-measures on the same duty day before any action.
Can a high AFT score exempt me from the body composition standard?
Not any more. The exemption for Soldiers scoring 465 or more on the Army Fitness Test (Army Directive 2025-17) was rescinded, and the Army FAQ says all Soldiers must meet the waist-to-height standard regardless of fitness test performance. Pregnancy and postpartum exemptions remain.
What was the 2023 one-site tape test formula?
Army Directive 2023-11 estimated body fat from weight and the abdominal circumference at the navel. Men: −26.97 − 0.12 × weight (lb) + 1.99 × abdomen (in). Women: −9.15 − 0.015 × weight (lb) + 1.27 × abdomen (in). A man weighing 210 lb with a 35 in abdomen came out at 17%. The method was rescinded in July 2026.