ProteinArmy Body Fat Calculator
Updated for the standard that actually applies today. Enter your waist and height for a waist-to-height ratio, a pass or fail, and — if you are over — exactly how many inches you need to lose.
The tape test was rescinded on 7 July 2026.
Army Directive 2026-13 replaced the height and weight tables, the circumference tape test and every supplemental body fat assessment with a single waist-to-height standard of under 0.55, the same for every Soldier regardless of age or sex. Most calculators online still return a body fat percentage from a method the Army no longer uses.
Current — since 7 Jul 2026
Standard is below 0.550.
- Max waist at your height
- 38"
- Margin
- 2.0"
What changed in July 2026
Army Directive 2026-13 was signed by Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll on 1 July 2026 and took effect on publication on 7 July. It aligned the Army with a Defense Department memorandum that the Navy and Air Force also adopted, and it is a genuine simplification rather than a tweak: three things went away at once.
| Element | Before 7 Jul 2026 | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Screening | Height/weight table decided who got taped | None — everyone is measured, twice a year |
| Measurement | One-site abdominal tape plus body weight | Waist at the navel, and height |
| Standard | Body fat % against age and sex bands | Waist-to-height under 0.55, universal |
| Appeals | DEXA, Bod Pod, InBody permitted | Not permitted — confirmation measurement only |
Maximum waist by height
The largest waist measurement that still passes, in the half-inch increments the official table uses. Your ratio is compared before rounding, and only the first three decimals are recorded — 0.549 passes, 0.550 fails.
| Height | Max waist | Height | Max waist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60" | 32.5" | 70" | 38.0" |
| 61" | 33.5" | 71" | 39.0" |
| 62" | 34.0" | 72" | 39.5" |
| 63" | 34.5" | 73" | 40.0" |
| 64" | 35.0" | 74" | 40.5" |
| 65" | 35.5" | 75" | 41.0" |
| 66" | 36.0" | 76" | 41.5" |
| 67" | 36.5" | 77" | 42.0" |
| 68" | 37.0" | 78" | 42.5" |
| 69" | 37.5" |
The rescinded body fat tables
AR 600-9 Table B-2 set these maximums by age and sex. They no longer determine compliance, but they are what the tape-test tabs above compare against if you are reproducing a past score.
| Age | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 17–20 | 20% | 30% |
| 21–27 | 22% | 32% |
| 28–39 | 24% | 34% |
| 40+ | 26% | 36% |
Frequently asked questions
- Does the Army still use the tape test?
- No. Army Directive 2026-13, signed on 1 July 2026 and effective 7 July 2026, rescinded the height and weight screening tables, the circumference-based tape test in both its one-site and multi-site forms, and all supplemental body fat assessments. The sole standard under the Army Body Composition Program is now waist-to-height ratio.
- What is the Army waist-to-height standard?
- A ratio below 0.55. Your waist is measured at the navel and divided by your height in inches. The standard is universal — it does not vary by age or sex, unlike the body fat percentage tables it replaced. A ratio of 0.550 or higher results in flagging and enrolment in the Army Body Composition Program.
- How is the Army waist measurement taken?
- At the navel, with the tape level and parallel to the deck, at the end of a normal relaxed exhalation. Measurements are taken three times, each rounded down to the nearest half inch, and averaged. Every Soldier is assessed at least twice per calendar year, so there is no longer a height and weight screening gate that decides who gets measured.
- Can I use a DEXA or Bod Pod scan instead?
- No. Army Directive 2026-13 explicitly removed supplemental body fat assessments. DEXA, Bod Pod and InBody results can no longer be used to challenge a waist-to-height result. A confirmation measurement by a different team on the same duty day is required before any commander action.
- What was the old Army body fat formula?
- From June 2023 to July 2026 the Army used a one-site abdominal equation: for men, body fat = −26.97 − (0.12 × weight in pounds) + (1.99 × abdomen in inches); for women, −9.15 − (0.015 × weight) + (1.27 × abdomen). Before June 2023 it used the multi-site Hodgdon-Beckett equations with neck, waist and, for women, hips. Both are available on this page for reference, but neither determines compliance now.
- What waist size do I need at my height?
- Multiply your height in inches by 0.55 and take the largest half inch below it. At 70 inches tall the maximum passing waist is 38.0 inches; at 65.5 inches it is 36.0; at 73 inches it is 40.0. The calculator above works this out and tells you how many inches you would need to lose.
Unofficial tool. This reproduces the published standard but is not affiliated with the US Army or Department of Defense. Only a measurement taken by your unit counts for the record. Verify current policy against armypubs.army.mil. Directive AD 2026-13 is filed as ARN47030; note the Army's own FAQ misnumbers it “2026-06” on its first page.