Measuring the circumference of certain body parts is a simple method of body fat estimation. The body fat index is not an indicator of fitness level since the calculation is made with no regard to height or weight. The american body composition calculator abcc uses information about your height weight and other body measurements along with age race and sex to determine how much of your body is fat. A simple three compartment model combining measurements of body density by air displacement plethysmography and total body water by bio electrical impedance can provide measurements of percentage body fat in the severely obese that are comparable with a traditional highly technical three compartment model requiring facilities such as isotope ratio mass spectrometry along with a substantial technical expertise. Use a tape measure to determine your waist wrist hip and forearm circumference. Then input your gender and measurements below to receive a body fat index based on average values.
Its calculated by measuring the waist and the hip at the widest diameter of the buttocks and then dividing the waist measurement by the hip measurement. Like the waist circumference the waist to hip ratio whr is also used to measure abdominal obesity. The limitations of bone densitometers have been frequently addressed. Generally the more information you provide the more accurate the calculated results will be. Below you can provide as few as 5 or as many as 14 factors. For example the us army uses a body fat calculation that simply requires an individuals age height.
Dual energy x ray absorptiometry dxa is widely used for body composition measurements in normal weight and overweightobese individuals.