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The Navy Body-Fat Formula: How the Tape Test Actually Works

Step-by-step through the circumference formula most branches use for the secondary body-fat evaluation — with the exact equations.

Educational reference only. The numbers on this page summarize public service regulations for planning purposes. They are not official medical, recruiting, or administrative determinations. Always confirm your status with a recruiter, commanding officer, or hiring agency using the official assessment.

The measurements

Height (inches), neck circumference just below the Adam’s apple, waist at the navel (men and women), and hip at its widest point (women only). Measurements are taken with a snug but not compressed tape.

The equations

Men: 495 ÷ (1.0324 − 0.19077·log10(waist − neck) + 0.15456·log10(height)) − 450. Women: 495 ÷ (1.29579 − 0.35004·log10(waist + hip − neck) + 0.22100·log10(height)) − 450.

Where it fits in 2026

The formula is now the secondary evaluation: WHtR < 0.55 passes outright; at or above the gate, the service estimates body fat with this method and checks it against the age/sex table. DoD 1308.03 caps the corridor at 18–26% (men) / 26–36% (women) by branch and age.

Run the Navy formula now

Estimate body-fat % with the exact U.S. Navy circumference formula (neck + waist; hips for women).

Result

Estimated body-fat %17.5%
±3–4% versus DXA. Women must include hip. This is the Navy method used as a cross-branch estimate; your service runs its own official assessment.

Quick answers

Is the Navy formula the same as the old Army tape test?
The 2023 Army one-site test used a different abdominal-only regression. The Navy circumference formula (neck + waist, + hip for women) is the common secondary method across several services.

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