Army Body Fat CalculatorRetired Army Tape Test Calculators
Both of the Army's tape tests are preserved on this page, clearly labeled, for the one legitimate reason they are still needed: checking historical records. The multi-site test served for four decades until June 2024; the one-site test replaced it, and was itself rescinded — with the screening tables and body fat maximums below — by Army Directive 2026-13 on 7 July 2026. The current standard is the waist-to-height ratio, and nothing calculated here can be used in an official assessment today.
If you have an assessment coming up, do not prepare against these numbers. Run the WHtR calculator and the maximum waist page instead.
2023 One-Site Tape Test (retired)
RESCINDED 7 JULY 2026 — for checking historical records only. The one-site tape test was the Army's method from June 2023 until Army Directive 2026-13 replaced it with the waist-to-height ratio. This calculator is kept so old DA Form 5500/5501 worksheets and ABCP records from that period can still be checked. For the current standard, use the WHtR calculator.
Unofficial estimate. This site is not affiliated with the U.S. Army or the Department of Defense, and no result here is an official determination — only your unit's assessment decides whether you meet the standard.
How it's calculated
The retired one-site equations (Army Directive 2023-11): men, % body fat = −26.97 − (0.12 × weight in lb) + (1.99 × abdomen in inches); women, % body fat = −9.15 − (0.015 × weight in lb) + (1.27 × abdomen in inches). The result was rounded to the nearest whole percent and compared with the AR 600-9 age-group maximums in the historical table further down this page. The equations were fitted by the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine against DXA measurements, and the directive's own published samples — a man of 210 lb with a 35 in abdomen at 17%, a woman of 165 lb with a 30 in abdomen at 26% — are reproduced exactly by this calculator, as the worked examples below show. Metric entries are converted to pounds and inches first.
Multi-Site Tape Test (retired 2024)
RESCINDED — retired June 2024, superseded standard rescinded 7 July 2026 — for checking historical records only. The multi-site tape test was the Army's method for four decades, and the confirmation method during the 2023–24 transition. It survives here so the oldest worksheets in a Soldier's record can still be understood.
Unofficial estimate. This site is not affiliated with the U.S. Army or the Department of Defense, and no result here is an official determination — only your unit's assessment decides whether you meet the standard.
How the retired multi-site method was calculated
The retired method used the circumference equations developed by Hodgdon and Beckett for the Department of Defense, with all measurements in inches:
Men: % body fat = 86.010 × log₁₀(waist − neck) − 70.041 × log₁₀(height) + 36.76
Women: % body fat = 163.205 × log₁₀(waist + hip − neck) − 97.684 × log₁₀(height) − 78.387
In practice, units rarely calculated these directly. Each measurement was taken three times and averaged to the nearest half inch; the circumference value (waist − neck for men, waist + hip − neck for women) and the Soldier's height were then read against the printed factor tables in Appendix B of AR 600-9, which were built from these equations — so this calculator's answers track the old worksheets closely. The result was compared with the same AR 600-9 age-group maximums in the historical table on this page. Metric entries are converted to inches before the equations are applied.
Two retired methods, one page
The timeline matters when you read an old record. Until June 2023, the Army used the multi-site method: neck and waist for men, neck, waist and hip for women, combined in the Hodgdon equations and printed as factor tables. From June 2023, Army Directive 2023-11 replaced it with the one-site method — a single abdomen measurement and weight in a sex-specific equation — with the old method kept as a confirmation test during a twelve-month transition that closed on 8 June 2024. From 7 July 2026, Army Directive 2026-13 rescinded the tape altogether, along with the height/weight screening tables and the age-group body fat maximums, and made waist-to-height ratio the sole standard.
Every piece of the retired system is on this page in one place — both calculators, the maximums table, and the full screening tables — because a Soldier's record can span all three regimes. An enrollment from 2022 was judged by the multi-site method against the maximums table; a worksheet from 2025 by the one-site equation; either may sit next to a 2026 WHtR entry on DA Form 5500. This page is the key to reading them.
How the old tests worked
Both retired methods began with the screening: height and weight against Table B-1 (reproduced in full below), and anyone over the table weight was taped. The one-site test measured the abdomen at the navel three times, averaged the readings, and applied the 2023 equations. The multi-site test measured two or three sites, computed a circumference value, and read the percentage from the printed factor tables in Appendix B of AR 600-9. Either way, the percentage was recorded on DA Form 5500 (men) or 5501 (women) and compared with the age-group maximum — the table below.
The measurement sites of the multi-site method, for reading old worksheets:
| Site | Who | Where the tape went |
|---|---|---|
| Neck | Men and women | Just below the larynx, tape perpendicular to the long axis of the neck, shoulders down and relaxed |
| Abdomen | Men | At the level of the navel, horizontal, at the end of a normal breath out |
| Natural waist | Women | The narrowest point of the torso, usually at or just above navel level |
| Hip | Women | Around the widest point of the buttocks, tape horizontal |
Only one of those sites — the abdomen at the navel — survives in any form today, as the waist measurement of the WHtR standard.
Why the Army retired them
The multi-site method's weaknesses were structural. The neck term meant a Soldier could improve a body fat score by building neck muscle, which says nothing about fat. The female hip term penalized the glute development that modern training deliberately builds, and the hip was the least repeatable measurement in the set — small differences in tape placement produced large differences in outcome. Measurers needed more training, results varied more between units, and Soldiers disputed placements constantly. The Army's comprehensive study found the single abdomen measurement at least as accurate against DXA, and the one-site method replaced it in 2023.
The one-site method fixed the administration problems but kept the system's deeper awkwardness: an equation estimating a percentage, judged against tables split by age and sex, reached only after a weight screening that flagged muscular Soldiers at every weigh-in. The Army's 2026 answer was to stop estimating body fat percentage altogether and measure the thing directly — waist relative to height, one threshold for everyone. Whether the 180-day HQDA assessment now running adjusts that settlement is a question for late December 2026; this page will keep the retired record either way.
Reading an old result today
If you have an old DA Form 5500 or 5501 and want to know what it means now, the honest answer is: it documents what the Army measured at the time, and nothing more. The standards it was compared against no longer exist, and the measurement that produced the percentage cannot be re-run officially. A Soldier who failed at 25% under one method might record well under — or over — 0.55 under WHtR; the systems measure different quantities and do not convert.
What an old result is still good for is history: it explains an ABCP enrollment, a flag, or a counseling entry in a service record. For anything current — an upcoming assessment, a progress check, a personal target — use the waist-to-height calculator and the WHtR chart. Those are the numbers your unit works with now.
Sources
The retired material is reproduced from its original sources: the one-site equations and worked samples from Army Directive 2023-11; the multi-site equations from the DoD circumference method (Hodgdon and Beckett) as printed in AR 600-9, Appendix B; the screening tables transcribed from AR 600-9, Table B-1 and cross-checked against two independent reproductions of the regulation text. Their rescission is documented in Army Directive 2026-13, announced in the Army.mil article "The full measure: The Army's new WHtR standard". The Army Resilience Directorate's ABCP page is the official program page.
One-site worked examples (published)
Example 1 — the Army's own published sample (men). Weight 210 lb, abdomen 35 in. The men's equation: −26.97 − (0.12 × 210) + (1.99 × 35) = −26.97 − 25.2 + 69.65 = 17.48%, which rounds to 17% — exactly the answer in the Army Directive 2023-11 sample calculations.
Example 2 — the Army's own published sample (women). Weight 165 lb, abdomen 30 in. The women's equation: −9.15 − (0.015 × 165) + (1.27 × 30) = −9.15 − 2.475 + 38.1 = 26.475%, which rounds to 26% — again, the published sample answer.
Under the retired rules these percentages were compared with the age-group maximums in the historical table on this page — for example 22% for a man aged 21–27. Under today's standard neither number is used at all: only the waist-to-height ratio counts.
Multi-site worked examples (published)
Both examples below are published worked examples of the DoD circumference equations, so you can check this calculator against the sources.
Example 1 — man. Height 70 in, neck 15 in, waist 34 in. Waist − neck = 19. 86.010 × log₁₀(19) − 70.041 × log₁₀(70) + 36.76 = 109.99 − 129.24 + 36.76 = 17.5%.
Example 2 — woman. Height 64 in, neck 13 in, waist 27 in, hip 38 in. Waist + hip − neck = 52. 163.205 × log₁₀(52) − 97.684 × log₁₀(64) − 78.387 = 280.06 − 176.43 − 78.387 = 25.2%.
Under the old rules these figures were read from the printed factor tables in Appendix B of AR 600-9 rather than calculated — the tables were built from these same equations, so the answers agree to within the tables' rounding.
Historical body fat maximums (AR 600-9)
| Age group | Men — maximum body fat | Women — maximum body fat |
|---|---|---|
| 17-20 | 20% | 30% |
| 21-27 | 22% | 32% |
| 28-39 | 24% | 34% |
| 40+ | 26% | 36% |
Historical maximum allowable percent body fat under AR 600-9 (rescinded 7 July 2026). Separately, Department of Defense goals (DoDI 1308.03) were 18% for men and 26% for women — goals to aim at, not pass/fail standards. Under the retired system a Soldier with a record ACFT score of 540 or higher and at least 80 points in every event was exempt from the body fat assessment entirely (Army Directive 2023-08); Army Directive 2026-13 rescinded that exemption along with the standards themselves.
Historical screening tables (AR 600-9, Table B-1)
Male screening weights (lb)
| Height (in) | Minimum weight | 17-20 | 21-27 | 28-39 | 40+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 58 | 91 | — | — | — | — |
| 59 | 94 | — | — | — | — |
| 60 | 97 | 132 | 136 | 139 | 141 |
| 61 | 100 | 136 | 140 | 144 | 146 |
| 62 | 104 | 141 | 144 | 148 | 150 |
| 63 | 107 | 145 | 149 | 153 | 155 |
| 64 | 110 | 150 | 154 | 158 | 160 |
| 65 | 114 | 155 | 159 | 163 | 165 |
| 66 | 117 | 160 | 163 | 168 | 170 |
| 67 | 121 | 165 | 169 | 174 | 176 |
| 68 | 125 | 170 | 174 | 179 | 181 |
| 69 | 128 | 175 | 179 | 184 | 186 |
| 70 | 132 | 180 | 185 | 189 | 192 |
| 71 | 136 | 185 | 189 | 194 | 197 |
| 72 | 140 | 190 | 195 | 200 | 203 |
| 73 | 144 | 195 | 200 | 205 | 208 |
| 74 | 148 | 201 | 206 | 211 | 214 |
| 75 | 152 | 206 | 212 | 217 | 220 |
| 76 | 156 | 212 | 217 | 223 | 226 |
| 77 | 160 | 218 | 223 | 229 | 232 |
| 78 | 164 | 223 | 229 | 235 | 238 |
| 79 | 168 | 229 | 235 | 241 | 244 |
| 80 | 173 | 234 | 240 | 247 | 250 |
Female screening weights (lb)
| Height (in) | Minimum weight | 17-20 | 21-27 | 28-39 | 40+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 58 | 91 | 119 | 121 | 122 | 124 |
| 59 | 94 | 124 | 125 | 126 | 128 |
| 60 | 97 | 128 | 129 | 131 | 133 |
| 61 | 100 | 132 | 134 | 135 | 137 |
| 62 | 104 | 136 | 138 | 140 | 142 |
| 63 | 107 | 141 | 143 | 144 | 146 |
| 64 | 110 | 145 | 147 | 149 | 151 |
| 65 | 114 | 150 | 152 | 154 | 156 |
| 66 | 117 | 155 | 156 | 158 | 161 |
| 67 | 121 | 159 | 161 | 163 | 166 |
| 68 | 125 | 164 | 166 | 168 | 171 |
| 69 | 128 | 169 | 171 | 173 | 176 |
| 70 | 132 | 174 | 176 | 178 | 181 |
| 71 | 136 | 179 | 181 | 183 | 186 |
| 72 | 140 | 184 | 186 | 188 | 191 |
| 73 | 144 | 189 | 191 | 194 | 197 |
| 74 | 148 | 194 | 197 | 199 | 202 |
| 75 | 152 | 200 | 202 | 204 | 208 |
| 76 | 156 | 205 | 207 | 210 | 213 |
| 77 | 160 | 210 | 213 | 215 | 219 |
| 78 | 164 | 216 | 218 | 221 | 225 |
| 79 | 168 | 221 | 224 | 227 | 230 |
| 80 | 173 | 227 | 230 | 233 | 236 |
Historical table, transcribed from AR 600-9, Appendix B, Table B-1 (rescinded 7 July 2026). A dash means the table published no maximum for that height and age group. For heights over 80 in, the table's note added 6 lb per inch (men) or 5 lb per inch (women) to the 80 in figures. Soldiers below the minimum weight for their height were referred for medical evaluation.
How the screening tables were read — worked examples
Man, 68 in, age 23: the table allowed 174 lb (age 21-27 column, 68 in row). Above that weight he was taped; at or below it, no body fat assessment was triggered by the screening.
Woman, 64 in, age 35: the table allowed 149 lb (age 28-39). Her minimum weight on the same row was 110 lb.
Man, 72 in, age 45: the table allowed 203 lb (age 40+). Older age groups carried higher screening weights at every height — compare the four columns on any row of the tables above.
Related calculators
- Army Body Fat Calculator for FemalesFemale Army body fat calculator for the 2026 standard: one WHtR threshold (below 0.
- Army Height and Weight CalculatorArmy height and weight calculator, 2026: the screening tables are gone — enter your height for your maximum waist under the WHtR standard, plus the chart.
- Army Body Composition Program (ABCP) CalculatorABCP calculator under the 2026 WHtR standard: current ratio, target waist, inches to come down, how flagging and enrollment work, and the 180-day rule.
For the standard the Army uses today, go to the current waist-to-height ratio calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Can my unit still assess me with either tape test?
No — neither of them. The multi-site method was retired in June 2024, and the one-site method, the screening tables and the standards on this page were rescinded on 7 July 2026 by Army Directive 2026-13. The only body composition assessment a unit can run today is the waist-to-height ratio.
Why do the retired methods give different answers from WHtR?
Commonly by several points, in either direction — and neither converts to the new ratio. The tape methods estimated percent body fat from circumferences; WHtR compares waist to height directly. A Soldier's standing under one system does not predict it under another, which is precisely why old results are history, not evidence about today.
What forms were the old results recorded on?
On the body fat worksheets: DA Form 5500 for men and DA Form 5501 for women. The measurer recorded height, weight and the averaged circumference measurements, took the circumference value to the Appendix B factor tables, and read off the percent body fat. (Under WHtR, DA Form 5500 alone is used, for everyone.)
What was the 'circumference value' on the old worksheets?
The circumference value — waist minus neck for men, waist plus hip minus neck for women. Combined with height, it was the row-and-column lookup into the printed factor tables in Appendix B of AR 600-9 that produced the official percentage.
My old result was hurt by a large hip measurement. Was that a known issue?
It is common, and it was one of the documented frustrations with the old method: glute and hip development from strength training fed straight into the female equation. That measurement no longer exists in any current assessment — one of the specific problems the 2023 change set out to fix, before the 2026 change replaced the tape entirely.
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Last verified: 26 October 2026