Body fat is a key indicator to help determine one's health and what one's target weight should be. Knowing the proper methods on how to measure body fat is an important fist step in establishing a routine of monitoring health and well being. There are two methods to measure your body fat at home: the circumference method and the caliper method. Read on to learn how to measure body fat.

• For home calculation of body fat take all measurments standing up.

• If you can, get a partner to assist you in taking your measurements.

• Take your measurements in centimeters and millimeters. Most formulas and calculators are calibrated to the metric system.

• Keep a log of your measurements. Each time you measure yourself make certain to measure the same areas.

• Be aware, that just like one can be over fat, one can also be under fat. This is equally as unhealthy.

Body fat is the lay term for adipose tissue. It is loose connective tissue composed of two types of adipose tissue: white adipose tissue and brown adipose tissue.http://ajpendo.physiology.org/cgi/reprint/293/2/E444

The primary role of body fat is to store energy for later use. It also serves a secondary role in insulating the body in cold weather and cushioning the muscle and bone tissues from topical trauma.

Yet another role performed by body fat classifies it as an endocrine organ, in that it produces hormones such as leptin, resistin, and the cytokine TNF?.http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/89/6/2548

Learning how to measure body fat requires first knowing what amount of body fat is considered healthy. Then, select a method to measure your body fat. Home measurement techniques have a 3.5 to 5% +/- margin of error, but nevertheless do provide you with acceptable results.

You will need: tape measure, skin fold caliper.

Estimated Duration: 10-15 minutes

Before anything, you should first determine what amount of body fat is healthy for you. This is based on two key factors: age and sex.

You can find the healthy range of body fat for you on the charts below.http://www.dietandfitnessresources.co.uk/info_charts/body_fat_chart.htm

For males 7-18 years of age:

For males 18-79 years of age:

For females 7-18 years of age:

For females 18-79 years of age:

The circumference method is also known as the tape measure method because all that you need is a tape measure to calculate your body fat percentage. For those of you who served in the U.S. Navy, you may also remember this as the Navy method.

With your tape measure you must take careful measurements of the areas listed below, being as accurate as you can to within 0.5 centimeters. Getting another person to help is a good idea, but you can also do it yourself.

1. Take a measurement of your height.
2. Take a measurement of your neck just below the larynx with the tape sloping slightly downward to the front.
3. For men, take a horizontal measurement of your abdomen around the navel. For women, take a measurement of your waist around the narrowest part of your waistline.
4. For women, you must take an additional measurement, that around your hips at their widest part.

With the measurements completed, you must now do the calculations. You can use the conversion calculator at the following link and enter your measurements: Body Fat Calculator

You can also do the calculations manually using these formulas:

For men, body fat % = 86.010*LOG(abdomen - neck) - 70.041*LOG(height) + 30.30

For women, body fat % = 163.205*LOG(abdomen + hip - neck) - 97.684*LOG(height) - 104.912

Once finished, compare your calculated body fat percentage to the charts presented in step one and determine whether you are under fat, healthy, over fat, or obese.

This method you might recall from gym class at many public schools. It involves using a hand held measuring instrument known as a skin fold caliper. Skin fold calipers are easily available online, at health stores and even discount drug stores.

Each measurement taken with the body fat caliper will require you to place your thumb and forefinger 3 inches apart and then pinch between your forefinger and thumb a layer of skin deep enough to get the fat. You can tell you have done so correctly if you feel a slight discomfort, but not pain. You then place the body fat calipers less than 1/2 inch from your pinch to get the measurement.http://www.gain-weight-muscle-fast.com/skinfold-measurements.html

There are 7 areas that should be measured with the caliper. This will require a partner to assist you in reaching all the areas to be measured.

1. Chest - For men, get a diagonal pinch midway between the armpit and the nipple. Women need a diagonal pinch 1/3 of the way from the armpit to the nipple.
2. Midaxillary - At the midaxillary line, which runs directly down from the center of the armpit, raise your arm above your head and get a vertical pinch just below the level of your nipple.
3. Subprailiac - With a diagonal pinch just above the front protrusion of the hip bone.
4. Abdominal - With a vertical pinch one inch above your navel.
5. Thigh - With a vertical pinch midway between your knee and top of your thigh.
6. Tricep - With a vertical pinch midway between your shoulder and your elbow.
7. Subscapular - Use a diagonal pinch below your shoulder blade.

Without a partner assisting you, you will discover that it is difficult to reach all 7 areas. If you are alone, make sure to use at least 3 of the measurement areas. For men, those would be the chest, abdominal, and thigh measurements. For women, those would be the triceps, suprailiac, and thigh measurements.

To increase accuracy, it is recommended that you take all of your measurements, and repeat the process a total of 3 times, then use the average for each area. Do not take the measurement of each area three consecutive times. Take all of the measurements from all the 7 points, and then repeat. This will allow a few moments for the skin in each area to return to its normal position.http://www.thehormoneshop.com/skinfoldcalipers.htm

Once you have obtained your measurement you can use the following online calculator to input the data and determine your body fat percentage:Body Fat Calculator 2

Once finished, compare your calculated body fat percentage to the charts presented to you in step one and determine whether you are under fat, healthy, over fat, or obese.

For those wanting a greater degree of accuracy in their body fat calculation, you can have a DEXA scan. This is a low level radiological full body x-ray which computes body composition and the percentage of fat in the body by measuring fat mass, lean mass, and bone mass. This procedure will yield the most accurate result, but will cost $200 to $400 dollars.http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/02/healthmag.measuring.body.fat/index.html

Another option is a bioelectrical impedance analysis. This is less costly and involves electrodes on your hands and feet sending a small electric current through your body to compute the composition of body fat and muscle mass. http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/02/healthmag.measuring.body.fat/index.html

Regardless of which method you choose to measure your body fat, the important thing is that in doing so, you have taken the first step in monitoring your health. With your body fat data you are now better informed to take on other important tasks, such us structuring a diet and fitness regimen.

Remember to form a habit of monitoring your body fat, either weekly or monthly. This will allow you to gauge how your health and lifestyle correlate.