Navy Body Fat Calculator
The Navy changed how it assesses Sailors in 2026. This calculator follows the current two-step Body Composition Assessment. For the classic neck-and-waist method, use our body fat calculator.
How the Navy Body Composition Assessment Works Now
The Navy revised its Body Composition Assessment (BCA) for 2026. NAVADMIN 264/25 announced the change, and Guide-4 of the Physical Readiness Program sets out the procedure. Sailors now have height, waist, and weight recorded, and the assessment runs in two steps. Neck measurements are no longer part of it.
Step 1: Waist-to-Height Ratio
The first step is the same for men and women. The waist is divided by height, and the result is cut off at four decimal places.
A Sailor at or below 0.5499 is within standards, and Step 2 is not required. Table 1 of the guide lists the largest waist allowed at each height:
| Height | Maximum waist |
|---|---|
| 62 in | 34 in |
| 64 in | 35 in |
| 66 in | 36 in |
| 68 in | 37 in |
| 70 in | 38 in |
| 72 in | 39.5 in |
| 74 in | 40.5 in |
| 76 in | 41.5 in |
Step 2: Body Fat Estimate
A Sailor at 0.5500 or higher moves to Step 2. The Command Fitness Leader subtracts waist from height and looks up that difference against body weight in a table for men or women. The maximum allowable body fat is 26% for men and 36% for women, with no adjustment for age.
The guide publishes Step 2 as lookup tables, not as an equation. To make them usable here, we fitted a straight-line equation to the tables. It matches all 18,700 table values we extracted to within one percentage point, and more than 99% of them exactly.
How Measurements Are Rounded
- Height: rounded up to the nearest half inch.
- Waist: measured at the navel, rounded down to the nearest half inch.
- Weight: rounded to the nearest pound.
This calculator applies the same rounding, so a small change in your input may not change your result.
What Happened to the Neck Formula?
Many sites still call the neck-and-waist equation from Hodgdon and Beckett (1984) the Navy method. It remains a widely used way to estimate body fat, and it is the formula behind our main body fat calculator. It is no longer how the Navy assesses Sailors. The guide also rules out substitutes such as calipers, BMI, and bio-impedance.
Using Your Result
A pass at the Navy limit is not the same as a health target. To see what counts as a healthy body fat percentage outside of military standards, compare your number by age and sex. If you want to track muscle as well as fat, use the lean body mass calculator. Soldiers follow a different rule, covered on the army waist to height ratio calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
The maximum allowable body fat is 26% for men and 36% for women. These limits apply at Step 2, and only if a Sailor is over the Step 1 ratio.
No. The current BCA records height, waist, and weight.
Guide-4 says the official BCA is the first and only one authorized once the command PFA cycle has begun, and that retests are not authorized.
A Sailor outside BCA standards can still pass the overall PFA by scoring Outstanding-Low overall, with Excellent-Medium or higher in all three PRT categories.