Use our free online calculator together with a skinfold caliper to estimate your body fat percentage.
If you are not sure how to take the measurements correctly, read the instructions below the calculator or watch the instructional video.
A skinfold caliper is a tool used to measure the thickness of skinfolds. This method, also known as skinfold measurement or caliperometry, is based on the assumption that an increase in subcutaneous fat reflects an increase in total body fat. The typical margin of error is around 3.5% to 4%.
Important: Skinfold calipers tend to be most practical in people with a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m², partly because many devices have a limited jaw width of around 6 to 8 cm.
Skinfold measurement is a scientifically developed method that has long been known as a simple, accurate, and inexpensive way to measure body fat. However, to assess the risk of obesity, one must consider body mass index, body fluid levels, potential health conditions, type of physical activity, ethnicity, etc.
Ideal body fat percentage ranges:
|
Age |
up to 30 |
30 to 40 |
50+ |
|
Women |
14–21% |
15–23% |
16–25% |
|
Men |
9–15% |
11–17% |
12–19% |
Other methods of measuring body fat include:
This is the formula used in the calculator to estimate body fat.
Body density = 1.1093800 - (0.0008267 * x3) + 0.0000016 * x3^2) - (0.0002574 * x4)
x3 - Sum of measurements in millimeters
x3^2 - Sum of measurements squared in millimeters
x4 - Age (years)
To estimate your body fat percentage, measure the thickness of the appropriate skinfold sites and compare the result with the reference tables below. You can also enter the measurements directly into the calculator.
You do not have to rely on the online calculator alone. You can also use the reference tables below to estimate body fat percentage based on age and skinfold thickness.
Skinfold thickness in mm (value obtained using a skinfold caliper)
Skinfold thickness in mm (measured using a skinfold caliper)
The typical measurement error is around 3.5% to 4%.
In practice, a result of 20% body fat may correspond to a true value somewhere between 16% and 24%.
Some calipers display results to one decimal place, but that should not be mistaken for high precision. Even hydrostatic weighing has a margin of error of around 2% to 3%.
Different formulas are designed for different body types, and no equation can account perfectly for individual differences such as height, body composition, age, training status, and fat distribution.
That is why skinfold measurements should be treated as an estimate rather than an exact value. The tables above are intended for people who fall within an average statistical range.
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