Body fat for males aged 70 to 79
Enter your height and tape measurements to estimate body fat. The example is a man in his 70s, 5 ft 10 in tall, with a 38 inch waist and a 16.25 inch neck.
How it works
The page measures everything in inches. It takes log10 of waist minus neck, multiplies by 86.010, subtracts 70.041 times log10 of height and adds 36.76. That is the male Navy estimate. The neck on this male page is 16.25 inches and the height is 70 inches.
Worked example
Say a man in his 70s is 5 ft 10 in tall with a 38 inch waist and a 16.25 inch neck. Start with waist minus neck: 21.75 inches. Log: 1.33746. Times 86.01: 115.035. Height log for 70 inches: 1.84510. Times 70.041: 129.233. Then 115.035 − 129.233 + 36.76 = 22.56, or 22.6 percent. That falls in the average range.
Common questions
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 70s at 5 ft 10 in, a waist of 38 inches is 96.5 cm and a neck of 16.25 inches is 41.3 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 70s at 5 ft 10 in, a reading of 22.6 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 70s at 5 ft 10 in the waist number is 38 inches and the neck number is 16.25 inches.
Does age change the result?
The formula does not use age. The same measurements give the same estimate at any age. A man in his 70s at 5 ft 10 in with a 38 inch waist and a 16.25 inch neck gets 22.6 percent.
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 22.6 percent, a man in his 70s at 5 ft 10 in falls in the average range, which spans 18 to 24 percent.