Body fat for males aged 50 to 59
Enter your height and tape measurements to estimate body fat. The example is a man in his 50s, 5 ft 10 in tall, with a 36 inch waist and a 15.75 inch neck.
How it works
Start with waist minus neck in inches. Take the base 10 log and multiply by 86.010. Take the base 10 log of height in inches and multiply by 70.041. Subtract the second result from the first and then add 36.76. For a man in his 50s the base value is 20.25 inches and the height is 70 inches.
Worked example
Measure first. A man in his 50s at 5 ft 10 in with a 36 inch waist and a 15.75 inch neck gives a base of 20.25 inches. Take the base 10 log to get 1.30643. Multiply: 1.30643 × 86.01 = 112.366. The base 10 log of the height, 70 inches, is 1.84510. Multiply: 1.84510 × 70.041 = 129.233. Combine them: 112.366 − 129.233 + 36.76 = 19.89. Rounded, that is 19.9 percent, in the average range.
Common questions
What is a healthy body fat percentage?
Ranges depend on sex and goals. The American Council on Exercise lists essential fat, athletes, fitness, average and obesity ranges. At 19.9 percent, a man in his 50s at 5 ft 10 in falls in the average range, which spans 18 to 24 percent.
Why does the waist matter more than weight?
Waist size reflects fat carried around the middle, while body weight cannot tell fat from muscle. For a man in his 50s, a waist of 36 inches against a height of 70 inches gives a waist-to-height ratio of 0.51.
Can I enter centimeters?
Yes. Switch the units and the page converts everything to inches before it does the math. For a man in his 50s at 5 ft 10 in, a waist of 36 inches is 91.4 cm and a neck of 15.75 inches is 40.0 cm.
How accurate is the Navy method?
It is an estimate. It is usually within a few percentage points of more precise methods, and careful measuring matters. For a man in his 50s at 5 ft 10 in, a reading of 19.9 percent could be a few points higher or lower in practice.
Where do I place the tape?
Measure the neck just below the larynx. For men measure the waist at the navel. For women measure the waist at its narrowest point and the hips at their widest. Keep the tape snug and level without squeezing. For a man in his 50s at 5 ft 10 in the waist number is 36 inches and the neck number is 15.75 inches.