Army Body Fat Calculator 2026
Army Directive 2026-13 · Updated October 2026
Army Body Fat Calculator 2026
The Army no longer measures body fat percentage. Since July 2026 the only standard is your waist-to-height ratio: below 0.55 for every age and both sexes. Enter your numbers below to check it the way the Army does.
Measure at the navel, tape level, on skin, after a normal breath. One reading works; the Army takes three.
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How the Army measures it
- Height in socks, rounded to the nearest half inch.
- Waist at the navel, tape parallel to the floor, on skin without compressing it, starting on the Soldier's right side.
- Three waist readings, each rounded down to the nearest half inch, then averaged. If one is more than an inch from the others, a fourth is taken and the three closest are averaged.
- Average waist divided by height, recorded to three decimals without rounding up. Below 0.550 meets the standard.
- A failing result is confirmed by a different measuring team the same day.
Source: Army Directive 2026-13 and DA Form 5500 (July 2026) with Annex A. Announcement: army.mil, July 7, 2026.
What changed in 2026
- January 1, 2026: a December 18, 2025 Department of Defense memo moved every branch to waist-to-height ratio and ended height and weight tables for body composition.
- July 1, 2026: Army Directive 2026-13 made the ratio the Army's only measure. The one-site tape test, the height and weight screening tables, DA Form 5501 and the AFT 465 exemption (Army Directive 2025-17) were all rescinded.
- Still evolving: no separations until Army headquarters completes a 180-day assessment. An August 2026 DoD instruction describes a slightly different measurement and a body fat follow-up step; the Army's own directive and DA Form 5500 still govern Soldiers, so this calculator follows them and will be updated if the Army changes.
Maximum passing waist by height
Largest half-inch waist that stays below 0.55 for each height. Computed from the rule; the Army's own Figure B-1 prints 41 in at 76.5 in, but 42 in gives 0.549 and meets the standard.
| Height (in) | Max waist (in) |
|---|---|
| 58 | 31.5 |
| 58.5 | 32 |
| 59 | 32 |
| 59.5 | 32.5 |
| 60 | 32.5 |
| 60.5 | 33 |
| 61 | 33.5 |
| 61.5 | 33.5 |
| 62 | 34 |
| 62.5 | 34 |
| 63 | 34.5 |
| 63.5 | 34.5 |
| 64 | 35 |
| 64.5 | 35 |
| 65 | 35.5 |
| 65.5 | 36 |
| 66 | 36 |
| 66.5 | 36.5 |
| 67 | 36.5 |
| 67.5 | 37 |
| 68 | 37 |
| 68.5 | 37.5 |
| 69 | 37.5 |
| 69.5 | 38 |
| 70 | 38 |
| 70.5 | 38.5 |
| 71 | 39 |
| 71.5 | 39 |
| 72 | 39.5 |
| 72.5 | 39.5 |
| 73 | 40 |
| 73.5 | 40 |
| 74 | 40.5 |
| 74.5 | 40.5 |
| 75 | 41 |
| 75.5 | 41.5 |
| 76 | 41.5 |
| 76.5 | 42 |
| 77 | 42 |
| 77.5 | 42.5 |
| 78 | 42.5 |
| 78.5 | 43 |
| 79 | 43 |
| 79.5 | 43.5 |
| 80 | 43.5 |
| 80.5 | 44 |
| 81 | 44.5 |
| 81.5 | 44.5 |
| 82 | 45 |
The old Army tape test (rescinded July 1, 2026)
Reference only. From June 2024 until July 1, 2026 the Army estimated body fat with a one-site abdominal tape (formulas from DA Form 5500/5501, June 2023) and screened with the AR 600-9 height and weight table. None of it is used to evaluate Soldiers today.
Rescinded July 1, 2026: enter your numbers to see what the old method would have said.
Old one-site formulas: men = -26.97 - (0.12 x weight) + (1.99 x abdomen); women = -9.15 - (0.015 x weight) + (1.27 x abdomen), rounded to the nearest whole percent. Former limits: men 20, 22, 24, 26 percent and women 30, 32, 34, 36 percent for ages 17-20, 21-27, 28-39 and 40+.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Army still use body fat percentage?
No. Since Army Directive 2026-13 (July 2026) the only Army body composition standard is a waist-to-height ratio below 0.55. Body fat percentage, the tape test and the height and weight tables are no longer used to evaluate Soldiers.
What waist-to-height ratio do I need to pass the Army standard?
Less than 0.55 for every age and both sexes. The ratio is recorded to three decimals and never rounded up, so 0.549 passes and 0.550 does not.
How does the Army measure my waist?
At the navel, tape parallel to the floor, on skin without compressing it, starting on your right side. Three readings, each rounded down to the nearest half inch, then averaged. If one reading is more than an inch off the others, a fourth is taken and the three closest are averaged.
Can a high AFT score exempt me?
No. The 465-point AFT exemption under Army Directive 2025-17 was rescinded by Army Directive 2026-13. No AFT score exempts a Soldier from the waist-to-height standard.
What happens if my ratio is 0.55 or higher?
You are flagged and enrolled in the Army Body Composition Program after a second measuring team confirms the result the same day. No secondary tape test can clear it. Separations are on hold until Army headquarters finishes a 180-day assessment of the new standard.
Why does this page still show the old tape test?
Because many Soldiers still search for it and older guides still use it. The one-site formula and the AR 600-9 tables are shown for reference only and labeled as rescinded July 1, 2026. They are not used to evaluate Soldiers today.
Is this an official Army calculator?
No. It follows the published rules in Army Directive 2026-13 and DA Form 5500 (July 2026), but your official result comes from the trained measuring team at your unit.
Related: Army height and weight standards 2026, waist-to-height ratio calculator (all branches), AFT calculator, every military PT calculator.
