Army Body Fat Standards & ACFT
Appropriate body fat is one of the medical fitness requirements to join and stay in the U.S. Army. The Department of Defense releases its body fat requirements every few years. In 2021, Army senior leaders conducted a comprehensive study on the relationship between Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) scores and Army body-composition standards. The data showed a correlation between body fat percentage and ACFT scores; soldiers with a higher percentage of body fat had lower scores than those with less body fat. Consequently, changes to the Army Body Fat Assessment for the Army Body Composition Program were implemented on June 12, 2023, to increase force readiness by ensuring that all soldiers maintain the necessary level of physical readiness to perform their duties. The provisions of this directive apply to the Regular Army, the Army National Guard/Army National Guard of the United States, and the U.S. Army Reserve. According to this directive, all soldiers who score 540 or higher on the record ACFT, with a minimum of 80 points in each event, are exempt from the body-fat assessment. If not exempted, the body-fat assessment requirements are summarized in the following tables:
Maximum Allowable Percent Body Fat Standards*
| Age | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 17-20 | 20% | 30% |
| 21-27 | 22% | 32% |
| 28-39 | 24% | 34% |
| 40 and over | 26% | 36% |
According to the Army Body Fat Assessment for the Army Body Composition Program, body fat is calculated using a one-site circumference-based tape method, which requires the measurement of the abdominal circumference at the level of the belly button and body weight.
When taking measurements, the subject should be standing upright with arms at rest on both sides. The abdominal circumference should be the average of three measurements and rounded to the nearest 0.5 inch. The body weight should be measured and rounded to the nearest pound. Once measured, you can enter the numbers into the calculator above to find out your body fat percentage and determine if you meet the maximum allowable percent body fat standard.
Soldiers who fail the circumference-based tape method will be flagged, but they may request a supplemental body fat assessment if the means for such testing are reasonably available. These supplemental body fat assessments include:
- Dual X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA)
- InBody 770 Body Composition and Body Water Analyzer
- The Bod Pod Body Composition Tracking System
Commanders of soldiers who do not request a supplemental body fat assessment or who fail the supplemental body fat assessment will maintain the original flagging action, and the soldier will be enrolled in the Army Body Composition Program (ABCP).