Health
Every Way to Measure Body Fat, Ranked
Morecalcs Team 2026-07-16· 8 min
DEXA, calipers, BIA, Navy tape method — what to trust.
DEXA (gold standard)
±1% accuracy. Costs $80–150 per scan. Best for baseline and yearly checks.
Calipers
±3% with a trained tester. Cheap and repeatable at home once you learn the pinch sites.
BIA (smart scales)
Convenient but sensitive to hydration. Same time of day, same conditions, treat as a trend.
US Navy tape method
Just three measurements plus height. Accurate to ±3–4%. What our body fat calculator uses.
Which to pick
For most people: BIA scale for daily trend, Navy tape for monthly check, DEXA once a year.
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