Free tool · Tape-measure method
Body fat calculator
All you need is a measuring tape. We estimate your body fat with the U.S. Navy formula and compare it with India’s obesity cut-offs: 25.5% for men and 38% for women.
Estimated body fat
Example19.6%
Average
- Fat mass
- 14.1 kg
- Lean mass
- 57.9 kg
- Waist vs Indian limit
- 88 cmLimit for men: below 90 cm
- Waist-to-height ratio
- 0.51Aim for 0.5 or below
- BMI (Indian cut-offs)
- 24.1Overweight · Grade I
A common range for adults. Adding strength training and regular cardio can move you toward the fit range.
Body fat ranges
The obesity line follows India’s 2025 guideline. The other bands are general fitness references (American Council on Exercise), not medical categories.
| Band | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Very low | Under 6% | Under 14% |
| Athletic | 6 – 13.9% | 14 – 20.9% |
| Fit | 14 – 17.9% | 21 – 24.9% |
| Average | 18 – 25.5% | 25 – 31.9% |
| High | — | 32 – 38% |
| Obesity (India) | Above 25.5% | Above 38% |
Good to know
How accurate is the tape method?
It’s an estimate. Compared with lab scans such as DEXA it can be off by a few percentage points either way, mostly because of how the tape is placed. Measure the same way each time and watch the trend rather than a single reading.
How do I take the measurements?
Neck: just below the Adam’s apple, with the tape sloping slightly down at the front. Waist: men at the navel, women at the narrowest point, relaxed and after breathing out. Hips (women): around the widest part of the buttocks.
Use a non-stretch tape, keep it level and snug without pressing into the skin, and take each measurement twice.
What counts as obesity for Indians?
India’s 2025 obesity guideline from the India Obesity Commission uses body fat above 25.5% for men and above 38% for women. It also flags a waist of 90 cm or more for men, 80 cm or more for women, or a waist-to-height ratio above 0.5.
Why does waist size matter so much for Indians?
Indians tend to store fat around the belly and internal organs. That kind of fat raises the risk of diabetes and heart disease, even when overall weight looks normal. Keeping your waist under half your height is a simple target.
Who shouldn’t use this?
It is meant for adults 18 and over. It isn’t suitable during pregnancy or soon after childbirth, and it is less reliable for very muscular people and older adults.
Sources
- Hodgdon JA, Beckett MB. Prediction of percent body fat for U.S. Navy men and women from body circumferences and height. Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, 1984 (reports 84-11 and 84-29).
- Misra A, et al. Revised definition of obesity in Asian Indians living in India. Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews 2025;19:102989. doi.org/10.1016/j.dsx.2024.102989
- Misra A, et al. Consensus statement for diagnosis of obesity, abdominal obesity and the metabolic syndrome for Asian Indians. J Assoc Physicians India 2009;57:163–70. PubMed
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