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AR 600-9 Screening & Tape

Army Body Fat Calculator

This calculator models AR 600-9–style screening: it compares body weight to the height/age table, then estimates body fat from Navy circumference tape (neck and waist, plus hips for females). Circumferences round to 0.5 in, and body fat is rounded down to a whole number. Educational only; confirm with official tables and your chain of command.

By Jeff Beem

Updated

AR 600-9 style screening, educational; confirm with official tables and your chain of command.

01

Demographics

02

Height

03

Step 1, Weight screening

Max weight for your height/age: 185 lbs

04

Tape measurements

At the Adam's apple, level and snug but not tight

At the navel level

Subject to unit leadership and current regulation.

Weight screening exempt. Weight 180 pounds is within the table maximum of 185 pounds for your height and age.

ACFT exemption

540+ ACFT with minimums in each event may waive tape requirements under some policies; leadership approval required.

Reading screening and tape results

The Army’s height/weight table is the first part of the equation. Section 03 is where your weight is compared with that table's max. Stay under it and you’re screened without taping. Go over it and section 04’s neck, waist, and (for females) hip measurements are what matter for pass or fail on this page.

Example: male 25, 5′10″, 180 lb, neck 15.5, waist 32 (default)

With defaults, section 03 shows Exempt: 180 lb is under the table max of 185 lb, so taping is not required. If you still fill in the tape fields, body fat comes out about 12% (rounded down to a whole number) against a 22% maximum for males ages 21–27.

Section 04 tape fields

Enter Neck just below the larynx, snug without pinching. Waist is at the navel for males and the narrowest abdomen for females. Females also fill Hips at the widest part of the hips or buttocks. Each field rounds to the nearest 0.5 in; a half-inch miss on the waist often moves the whole-number percent by a full point.

Weight screening vs tape

Under the table max, the Result panel shows Exempt and you are done for screening. Over the max, it puts the tape body-fat percent beside the AR 600-9 cap for your age band—that pair is the pass/fail check.

ACFT checkbox

The ACFT 540+ note is a policy reminder, not a calculation input. A high ACFT score may support a waiver; it never rewrites the tape formula on this page.

Army body fat calculator: AR 600-9 screening and tape

Height/weight screening plus Navy circumference body-fat estimate with AR 600-9 age caps. Educational only; confirm with official tables and your chain of command.

What this calculator does

Walks through the two AR 600-9 screening steps on one page. Section 03 checks whether Body weight sits under the published height/age maximum. If you are over that line, section 04 estimates body fat from neck and waist (plus hips for females) with the U.S. Navy circumference equations. You will see screening status, body-fat percent rounded down to a whole number, the age-band maximum, and an optional ACFT waiver note. It does not replace a unit tape team, DEXA, or other-branch standards.

How the Math Works

Circumferences round to the nearest half inch; height rounds to the nearest inch. Males:
BF%=86.010log⁡10(w−n)−70.041log⁡10(h)+36.76\mathrm{BF\%} = 86.010\log_{10}(w - n) - 70.041\log_{10}(h) + 36.76
Females:
BF%=163.205log⁡10(w+hip−n)−97.684log⁡10(h)−78.387\mathrm{BF\%} = 163.205\log_{10}(w + \mathrm{hip} - n) - 97.684\log_{10}(h) - 78.387
where w, n, and h are waist, neck, and height in inches. The percent on screen is rounded down to a whole number (12.9% shows as 12%). Worked example (defaults): male, 70 in, neck 15.5, waist 32 → about 12% vs a 22% cap at age 25; weight 180 lb vs table max 185 lb → screening Exempt.

AR 600-9 maximum body fat by age and sex

These caps are the only full listing on this page. Males: ages 17–20 → 20%, 21–27 → 22%, 28–39 → 24%, 40+ → 26%. Females: 17–20 → 30%, 21–27 → 32%, 28–39 → 34%, 40+ → 36%. Each step up in age band adds two percentage points. Exceeding the cap can trigger ABCP enrollment; this tool only shows the comparison.

ACFT waiver note

Some policies let command waive tape when a soldier scores 540+ on the ACFT with at least 80 in each event. The checkbox on this page documents that possibility. It does not change screening math, and a high ACFT score is not an automatic pass.

What actually moves the tape number

The formula sees circumference, not “fitness.” For males the lever is mostly waist minus neck: a thicker neck helps; a smaller waist helps more. Cardio that never changes waist size does nothing to the equation. A 1–2 inch waist drop often cuts about 1–2 whole-number points—enough to flip a borderline result. The same swing goes the wrong way after a heavy meal or a bloated morning, which is why empty-stomach morning tapes are the usual advice.

Army Body Fat FAQ

How does this page run AR 600-9–style screening?

Section 01–02 set sex, age, and height. Section 03 compares Body weight (lbs) to the height/age table max. If you are over that max, use section 04’s tape measurements with the Navy circumference formulas. The Result panel then shows that body-fat percent (rounded down to a whole number) next to the age-band maximum for your sex.

What does Weight screening Exempt mean?

At the defaults (male, age 25, 5′10″, 180 lb), weight sits under the table max of 185 lb, so the panel reads Exempt and taping is not required under this screening. You can still fill in the circumference fields; raise weight above the max if you want to see how the tape pass/fail view looks.

Which tape sites does the calculator use?

Section 04 takes Neck and Waist for males (waist at the navel). Females also enter Hips; waist is the narrowest abdomen. Neck sits just below the larynx. The widget rounds each circumference to the nearest 0.5 in before the Navy formula runs.

Why is the body-fat result a whole number?

After the Navy formula runs, this page rounds the percent down to a whole number—so 12.2% or even 12.9% shows as 12%, not 13%. That matches common AR 600-9 practice and can matter on a borderline fail.

What does the ACFT 540+ checkbox do here?

It is an informational flag only. Checking it notes that a 540+ ACFT with minimums in each event may allow a command waiver of tape under some policies. It does not change the math or auto-pass you. Leadership still decides.

Is this an official Army assessment?

No. Unit leadership runs the official tape with their procedures and equipment. This is an educational estimate using the same Navy circumference formula family and published AR 600-9 caps. Measurement technique alone can swing results by a point or more.

What happens if body fat exceeds the maximum?

Exceeding the age/sex cap can put a soldier into the Army Body Composition Program (ABCP) with a timed window to meet standard. This page only flags pass/fail against the published maximum; timelines and administrative action come from your chain of command.

Can I use this if I am not in the Army?

Yes for curiosity. The circumference math is shared across services, but the maximum percents here are AR 600-9 Army caps. Other branches publish different limits.

Sources & citations

References used for the calculation method and definitions. Links open in a new tab when available.

[1]
AR 600-9: The Army Body Composition Program

Department of the Army regulation governing the Army Body Composition Program: screening, circumference taping, and maximum allowable body fat by age and sex.

[2]
Hodgdon & Beckett (1984): Prediction of Percent Body Fat for U.S. Navy Men

Naval Health Research Center report No. 84-11: men’s circumference-and-height body fat prediction used in the Navy tape method applied under DoD/AR 600-9 procedures.

[3]
Hodgdon & Beckett (1984): Prediction of Percent Body Fat for U.S. Navy Women

Naval Health Research Center report No. 84-29: women’s circumference-and-height body fat prediction (including hip), paired with the men’s report.

Fitness Reference Note

Informational Use: These calculations (BMI, Calories, etc.) are based on standard statistical formulas and are intended for general reference and goal-setting purposes only.

Consult Experts: This tool does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Results may not be accurate for athletes, pregnant individuals, or those with underlying health conditions.

Health Safety: Always consult with a healthcare professional or qualified trainer before beginning any new diet or intensive exercise program.

Privacy First: All calculations are performed locally in your browser. No health data is stored or transmitted to any server.

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