Body fat, BMI and waist calculator
Three ways to look at body composition: body fat percentage from skinfolds, BMI and risk from waist size.
How each one is calculated
% body fat
Pollock 3-skinfold protocol: the sum of the skinfolds and age give body density, and the Siri equation converts it into body fat percentage.
BMI
Weight (kg) ÷ height (m)². Below 18.5 is underweight, 18.5 to 24.9 is normal weight, 25 to 29.9 is overweight and 30 or more is obesity.
Waist
Waist ÷ height up to 0.5 is considered healthy. Waist ÷ hip above 0.90 for men and 0.85 for women indicates increased risk (WHO).
Frequently asked questions
How do you measure Pollock skinfolds?
With a skinfold caliper, always on the right side of the body, pinching skin and fat without catching the muscle. Men: chest, abdomen and thigh. Women: triceps, suprailiac and thigh. Take 2 or 3 measurements at each site and use the average.
Is BMI useful for people who train?
It works as a screening tool, but it doesn't separate fat from muscle: someone with a lot of muscle can show up as overweight. That's why it's worth looking at body fat percentage and waist size too.
What is a healthy waist size?
A simple rule is to keep your waist at no more than half your height (waist-to-height ratio up to 0.5). Above that, cardiovascular and metabolic risk increases.
What is a good body fat percentage?
It depends on sex and goal. As a reference, 14 to 18% is the fitness range for men and 21 to 25% for women. Below the essential ranges (about 6% for men and 14% for women) is not healthy.
Do you do physical assessments with your clients?
In Pumpo, every assessment is saved in the client's history, with a progress chart, before-and-after photos and a silhouette. Free for up to 5 clients.
Start for freeSee also: Calorie and BMR calculator