Body fat calculations

JimLeonardRN

Using your measurements of a 45 inches waist and weight of 245 pounds your body fat percentage we calculated using FOUR different methods. Your body fat estimates are 30.35 % using the U.S. Army body fat algorithm, or
28.01 % using the U.S. Marine body fat algorithm, or
28.09 % using the U.S. Navy body fat algorithm, or
27.85 % using the formula developed by the YMCA.

How accurate are these online calculators? And BTW these numbers are after losing 132 pounds.

downsizinghoss

I wish I could help you on this one. Bumping it to see if anyone else picks it up.

I went and had a bodpod test done. It cost $50 and it is pretty effective.

JimLeonardRN

Thanks Hoss!

Sarauk2sf

Online calculators can be pretty good for some people and way off for others - it depends on your fat distribution.

VTSarah07

The most accurate way to measure bodyfat is probably the calliper test. Most gyms will have the tools to do this and some may do it for free.

Sarauk2sf

The most accurate way to measure bodyfat is probably the calliper test. Most gyms will have the tools to do this and some may do it for free.

Unfortunately there can be a large margin of error with calipers.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/830595-body-fat-estimation-methods

maab_connor

Hoss is right, the water test is the only one that's totally accurate. but if you don't want the expense, then i would just figure out the mean number of the four you have and use that as a guide. go for the pod when you are close enough to goal that you need it.

No_Finish_Line

Its the least accurate method available. even a body fat scale should be a lot better.

Even the best, most expensive method, hydrostatic weighing is only accurate within +/- 4 %

There are 100s of different calculations to put skin fold measurements through to arrive at a percentage of BF, and they are geared to different populations like athletes, women, children, elderly. So you can throw that into the 'Inaccuracey mix'.

Since its nearly impossible to get an exact %, its really more uesful to monitor the number to see if it goes up or down... In that case the accuracey is far less important then consistency of measurement. if you've ever tried to find your BF using a skin fold caliper, you know that you could do the same test 10 times in a row and get 10 different results, that could be drastically different. Body fat scale can be inconsistent due to your level of hydration.

The millitary method is going to be the most consistent because its just your weight and waist measurement and probably hieght... data that is easy to get procise numbers. take a skin fold measurement a fraction of an inch away from where you did last time and it could create a dramatically different end result. So i think what you are doing is probably best in terms of progress assesment and to be honest with you, never thought of this before. I have a BF% scale and two different skin fold calipers.

No_Finish_Line

Hoss is right, the water test is the only one that's totally accurate. but if you don't want the expense, then i would just figure out the mean number of the four you have and use that as a guide. go for the pod when you are close enough to goal that you need it.

oh, the hydrostatic weighing is only 50? still kind of pricey i guess.

I think its really only meaningful as a progress assessment. I mean what difference does it really make what your BF% is (or weight for that matter), especially if they are obviously not in the range of being health risks.

really only matters if the number is going up or down and that the number be calculated consistantly.

If you go to someone to measure your BF with a caliper, i highly recommend always going to the same individual to measure progress.

JimLeonardRN

Thanks folks for the replies.