4 ms·

Note that body fat percentage is notoriously difficult to accurately measure. The linked calculator uses the navy circumference method which gives readings ±3-

Note that body fat percentage is notoriously difficult to accurately measure. The linked calculator uses the navy circumference method which gives readings ±3-4 points for most people and even further off for some. It gives me 3.5% which would be insanely low (I'm probably somewhere around 8-10 right now) because I have an unusually wide neck. To get more accurate readings you'd have to pay for a DEXA scan or a bodpod but even those can be off by a couple points.

anon84873628 2y ago
Yeah, 3.5% would make you leaner than many Mr. Olympia competitors! And nearly at the point of negative health effects. It's a shame when people use those electronic home scales and believe the results. Someone was so happy to tell me they were at 10% body fat, I could only smile and nod... Most healthy people would have difficulty dropping below 10-12% without very deliberate effort. And beyond that would probably be kinda freaked out when they start to see all the veins and striations appearing.
- Mountain_Skies 2y ago
  I had a DEXA scan done and for me, it showed higher body fat about five percentage points higher than my scale at home did. But I used that as a calibration point for my home scale. I've found as long as I use the home scale under similar conditions each time, mostly in the morning after voiding my bladder but before showering, that there's not much fluctuation from day to day. If I ever hit my goal on the scale, I plan to go back and get a second DEXA scan. Two interesting things that also came from getting the scan done was that it showed that I have poor bone density so that's an issue that needed addressing (and hopefully the second scan will show improvement) and the scan was part of a package where they also did a 3d scan of my body exterior, which I was able to download and 3d print. I plan on making a half-and-half model of my body's change upon hitting my goal body fat percentage.
- foerster 2y ago
  I got down to about 6% for a bodybuilding show. It was incredible to look at, but also literally painful to bump into any hard surface, to sit on any hard surface, etc. The amount of bony protrusions you have when the body fat is gone is eye opening. I walk around at 10-13% typically, then lean down for summer and shows. Most people at 30+ lbs further away from 'having abs' than they think. I see it time and time again.
  - cmiller1 2y ago
    When I dip below around 8%ish my appetite goes through the roof, all self control goes out the window to the all consuming signaling in my brain to eat eat eat
- loeg 2y ago
  Nearly? 3.5% bf is unhealthy for men and probably dead for women.
s_dev 2y ago
My favourite comment on this is the following joke exchange: Doctor: Your BMI is high I'd like you make some dietary adjustments. Patient: BMI doesn't measure fat accurately for example professional Rugby players are marked as obese but aren't. Doctor: Are you a Rugby player? Patrient: No. It's a good guideline. Don't let edge cases control your perception and let professionals do their thing with the tools they have -- they're aware of limitations that's why their professionals.
- eagerpace 2y ago
  I've done a couple DEXA scans recently and they have in fact confirmed that the BMI calculation for me is spot on.
  - impute 2y ago
    I also just did a DEXA scan last week and the calculator is within ~2% so pretty good considering it's free and takes 1 minute.
- kelipso 2y ago
  There are plenty of people who do weightlifting or have high muscle density. Probably more than 10% of people and certainly not edge cases. Doctors are basically taught like undergrads are taught, not much critical thinking involved, they just recite whatever is in the relevant document they are supposed to recite from.
  - impute 2y ago
    I really doubt more than 10% of people do weightlifting and have high muscle density. It's likely closer to 0.1% which is why BMI is a good guideline over a group.
    - skrtskrt 2y ago
      being within an "ideal" or "average" bodyfat range will easily put you as overweight on BMI. it's a useless statistic.
guerrilla 2y ago
> DEXA Fat calipers would be less accurate than DEXA but much more accurate than Navy circumference method, yet a lot cheaper than DEXA.
- loeg 2y ago
  Yeah, there are a couple inexpensive midground options here. Calipers is one method, bioelectrical impedance is another.
wrs 2y ago
Also, when using the Navy method, be sure you read the instructions for how to measure. The “waist” measurement is unfortunately not the number on your trouser size. :)

anon84873628 2y ago

Yeah, 3.5% would make you leaner than many Mr. Olympia competitors! And nearly at the point of negative health effects. It's a shame when people use those electronic home scales and believe the results. Someone was so happy to tell me they were at 10% body fat, I could only smile and nod... Most healthy people would have difficulty dropping below 10-12% without very deliberate effort. And beyond that would probably be kinda freaked out when they start to see all the veins and striations appearing.

Mountain_Skies 2y ago
I had a DEXA scan done and for me, it showed higher body fat about five percentage points higher than my scale at home did. But I used that as a calibration point for my home scale. I've found as long as I use the home scale under similar conditions each time, mostly in the morning after voiding my bladder but before showering, that there's not much fluctuation from day to day. If I ever hit my goal on the scale, I plan to go back and get a second DEXA scan. Two interesting things that also came from getting the scan done was that it showed that I have poor bone density so that's an issue that needed addressing (and hopefully the second scan will show improvement) and the scan was part of a package where they also did a 3d scan of my body exterior, which I was able to download and 3d print. I plan on making a half-and-half model of my body's change upon hitting my goal body fat percentage.
foerster 2y ago
I got down to about 6% for a bodybuilding show. It was incredible to look at, but also literally painful to bump into any hard surface, to sit on any hard surface, etc. The amount of bony protrusions you have when the body fat is gone is eye opening. I walk around at 10-13% typically, then lean down for summer and shows. Most people at 30+ lbs further away from 'having abs' than they think. I see it time and time again.
- cmiller1 2y ago
  When I dip below around 8%ish my appetite goes through the roof, all self control goes out the window to the all consuming signaling in my brain to eat eat eat
loeg 2y ago
Nearly? 3.5% bf is unhealthy for men and probably dead for women.

s_dev 2y ago

My favourite comment on this is the following joke exchange: Doctor: Your BMI is high I'd like you make some dietary adjustments. Patient: BMI doesn't measure fat accurately for example professional Rugby players are marked as obese but aren't. Doctor: Are you a Rugby player? Patrient: No. It's a good guideline. Don't let edge cases control your perception and let professionals do their thing with the tools they have -- they're aware of limitations that's why their professionals.

eagerpace 2y ago
I've done a couple DEXA scans recently and they have in fact confirmed that the BMI calculation for me is spot on.
- impute 2y ago
  I also just did a DEXA scan last week and the calculator is within ~2% so pretty good considering it's free and takes 1 minute.
kelipso 2y ago
There are plenty of people who do weightlifting or have high muscle density. Probably more than 10% of people and certainly not edge cases. Doctors are basically taught like undergrads are taught, not much critical thinking involved, they just recite whatever is in the relevant document they are supposed to recite from.
- impute 2y ago
  I really doubt more than 10% of people do weightlifting and have high muscle density. It's likely closer to 0.1% which is why BMI is a good guideline over a group.
  - skrtskrt 2y ago
    being within an "ideal" or "average" bodyfat range will easily put you as overweight on BMI. it's a useless statistic.

guerrilla 2y ago

> DEXA Fat calipers would be less accurate than DEXA but much more accurate than Navy circumference method, yet a lot cheaper than DEXA.

loeg 2y ago
Yeah, there are a couple inexpensive midground options here. Calipers is one method, bioelectrical impedance is another.

wrs 2y ago

Also, when using the Navy method, be sure you read the instructions for how to measure. The “waist” measurement is unfortunately not the number on your trouser size. :)