Body fat calculator

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watergirl626
watergirl626 Posts: 249 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Has anyone who has had their body fat measured in any other way ever used the fit2fat body calculator? http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bf/

Just wondering how accurate it is for overweight people, since I still have a lot to lose, but it seems to think my body fat isn't nearly as bad as I think it is in my head. So if you've had body fat measured some other way (i.e. calipers for example), and you use this calculator, is there a big difference?

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  • TerezaToledo
    TerezaToledo Posts: 613 Member
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    Not sure about this particular tool, I didn't use it yet.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    That particular calculator isn't going to be accurate no matter what, because it doesn't ask for your height. My measurements at 5'5 *should* give a different BF% than if I were 5' even, or 5'10.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    Body fat is usually pretty independent of height. You'll find most people will vary in height, but their body measurements will remain pretty consistent with similar body composition. If 3 people are 3 different heights but the same exact body measurements, they will all have different weights as well. And if 3 different people are 3 different heights and weigh exactly the same, their measurements will be completely different.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    I don't see how it could be independent of height. Of weight, sure, but not of height.

    Someone 6' tall with a 24 inch waist and 36 inch hips is going to be way leaner than someone 5' tall with the same measurements.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    And their weight would be significantly different because their body composition would be significantly different. That's how these formulas calculate body fat. It would be physically impossible for 2 people of different heights to have the same body fat %, same weight, and same measurements. They can only have one of the three in common. It's all about the density of muscle vs fat. I could have a 32 inch waist and no muscle definition, or I can have a 32 inch waist with a rock hard six pack. If all you know is my height and my measurements, it's impossible to calculate body fat. If you know just the weight and measurements, then it can be calculated.

    The YMCA formula, which has a margin of error of 3%, utilizes only the waist measurement and body weight to calculate body fat percentage. I have never found a single body fat formula that includes height, because it's irrelevant.

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