The effects of a diet or exercise program can only be monitored when you have accurate biometric
data. This web page will help you calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist-to-Height ratio,
percent body fat, and lean body mass. You also get an estimate of your daily calorie and protein requirements
based on your level of activity. It is a good idea to record your measurements
once per week to keep track of your progress. If you keep the data in a spreadsheet (e.g., MS Excel)
you will be able to create charts to see trends more easily.
The number of Calories in the foods that we eat and the number of Calories that we use
determines whether we will lose weight or gain weight. The extra Calories that we consume are
generally stored as fat in our body. To maintain a steady weight, the number of Calories in our food must be
equal the number of Calories that we use through exercise, excrete as wastes, body oils,
ejaculates, menstrual flow,
or use for renewal of skin, hair, nails, and other organ tissues.
To lose weight, we must consume fewer Calories than our body needs so that our stored body fat
is used to meet a portion our caloric needs. It is advisable to consult with your physician or
dietitian before starting any diet, particularly if you take any medications.
How to Measure
The body requires protein to maintain the muscles and to
produce hormones. Essential fatty acids are needed for cell replication and
to maintain the structure of the nervous system.
Therefore, any reduction of Calories must be accomplished by reducing saturated fats and
carbohydrates. A diet should always provide an adequate amount of protein and essential fatty acids (EFAs).
The body needs at least 15 grams of EFAs per day, which can be obtained by eating meats, fish, nuts,
and flaxseed. Very low calorie diets (less than 1300 calories per day) should be avoided because
they generally do not provide all the nutrients needed for good health.
The form below calculates the daily requirement of protein, the Body Mass Index, the
Waist-to-Height ratio, and the percentage of body fat using the U.S. Navy Circumference Method.
These metrics can help to track your progress toward achieving a healthy body structure.
The method for calculating the percentage of body fat requires measurements to within 0.5 cm
or 1/4 inch. Measurements should be done so that the tape measure fits snugly but does not compress the skin.
Height - measured without shoes
Weight - taken in the morning without clothes after going to the bathroom and
before eating or drinking anything
Waist (Men) - measure horizontally, at the level of the navel
(Women) - measure horizontally, at the level of minimal abdominal width
Neck - measure below the larynx with the tape sloping slightly downward to the front.
Hips (Women only) - Largest horizontal circumference around the hips
Body Mass Index (BMI) - The BMI is the ratio of your weight to the square of your height.
The number is proportional to your body shape. Generally, the number is small for thin people and
large for fat people. People with a BMI 25 or greater are considered overweight, unless they
have a very muscular body. The BMI does not consider the fat/muscle ratio, and a healthy, muscular
individual with a low percentage of body fat may be classified obese using the BMI formula.
This is a well-known deficiency of the BMI formula.
If your BMI is 25 or greater, and your Waist-to-Height ratio
is less than 0.5 and your Percent Body Fat is in the "athlete" or "fitness" category,
you are probably muscular and not fat.
Underweight
BMI less than 18.5
Normal weight
BMI 18.5 to 24.9
Overweight
BMI 25 to 29.9
Obese
BMI 30 or greater
BMI=36.6
BMI=41.4
BMI does not take into consideration how the weight is distributed.
Waist-to-Height Ratio - The Waist-to-Height ratio is determined by dividing the waist
circumference by the height.
Waist-to-Height ratios of 0.5 or greater are indicative of
intra-abdominal fat for both men and women and are associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular
disease.
Percent Body Fat - The percent body fat is calculated using the formulas developed
by Hodgdon and Beckett at the Naval Health Research Center in 1984. The formulas require
the measurements to be in centimeters with an accuracy of 0.5 cm. However, the form above
has been adjusted to accept measurements in inches. Men and women require different methods for
measuring because men accumulate fat mostly
in the abdomen (the "apple" body shape or "beer belly"), while women accumulate fat in
their abdomen and hips (the "pear" body shape). The equations take this into consideration.
The formula for men is:
The American Council on Exercise uses the following categories based on percentage of body fat:
Women
Men
Essential fat
10-12%
2-4%
Athletes
14-20%
6-13%
Fitness
21-24%
14-17%
Acceptable
25-31%
18-25%
Obese
32% or more
26% or more
Lean Body Mass - This is derived by subtracting the calculated value of
body fat from the total weight.
Lean Body Mass = Weight × (100 - %BodyFat)
Calories per day - The minimum number of Calories per day is calculated based on height and sex
according to the guidelines of the Institute of Medicine. When the BMI is 25 or greater,
the minimum number of Calories is reduced by 15% to obtain a diet that is not very
severe and can be maintained for many months without adverse effects
by persons with normal health. The number of Calories may need to be increased depending on the
level of activity, but increasing them by more than 15% may not result in loss of weight.
To lose weight, your intake of carbohydrates should be less than 60 grams per day (no more than
240 Calories) distributed throughout the day.
Grams of protein per day - This value is calculated from the maximum normal BMI, your
height, and your level of activity. It corresponds to 0.8 grams of protein per Kilogram
of body weight which is the
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for low levels of activity, 1.1 grams for moderate
activity, and 1.4 grams for vigorous activity. Other components of the diet, including essential fatty acids
and carbohydrates should be proportioned to provide the minimum required Calories per day.
For men and women of equal height the caloric requirements
are lower for women, but the protein requirements are the same for both men and women.
This means that, in general, women's diets should be richer in protein than men's diets.
Any diet
should always include at least the minimum amount of protein
to prevent loss of muscle tissue when the caloric intake is reduced.
A typical high-protein diet would derive 30% of the Calories from protein, 30% from fat, and
40% from carbohydrate. A low carbohydrate weight-loss diet
generally derives 25% of the Calories from protein, 65% from fat, and 10% from carbohydrate.
The tables below show that these percentages provide more than the minimum protein requirement
for 2000- and 1800-calorie diets.
The U.S. Government Recommended Diet is used as the basis for the "% Daily Values"
that are listed on the "Nutrition Facts" labels in food products.
When evaluating diet advertisements, keep in mind that the Federal Trade Commission has determined that
any product claims are false if they state
that you can lose more than two pounds per week for more than four weeks without diet and exercise.
Michael R. Eades, M.D., and Mary Dan Eades, M.D., "Protein Power", Bantam Books, 1996.
Describes a low carbohydrate diet that has had great clinical success in reducing
obesity and normalizing insulin levels. The book explains the biochemistry and metabolic pathways
that are the basis for the diet.
Barry Sears, Bill Lawren, "The Zone: A Dietary Road Map to Lose Weight Permanently",
ReganBook, 1995. Advocates a diet with 30% protein, 30% fat, and 40% carbohydrates.
S.D. Hsieh, H. Yoshinaga, T. Muto,
Int. J. Obes. Relat. Metab. Disord., 2003 May;27(5):610-6.
Waist-to-height ratio, a simple and practical index for assessing
central fat distribution and metabolic risk in Japanese men and women.
J. Hodgdon, and M. Beckett, "Prediction of percent body fat for U.S. Navy
men and women from body circumferences and height". Reports No. 84-29 and 84-11.
Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, Cal. 1984.
The effects of a diet or exercise program can only be monitored when you have accurate biometric
data. This web page will help you calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist-to-Height ratio,
percent body fat, and lean body mass. You also get an estimate of your daily calorie and protein requirements
based on your level of activity. It is a good idea to record your measurements
once per week to keep track of your progress. If you keep the data in a spreadsheet (e.g., MS Excel)
you will be able to create charts to see trends more easily.
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