Proper weight maintenance is a necessity for individuals in the Army and this makes the Army body fat worksheet one of the most useful diet aids for health conscious people. This form calculates the content of fat in an individual's body by using standard measurements. You can use this form to develop a healthy diet and to determine whether to incorporate exercises for losing weight into your plan.
Army Body Fat Worksheet
The person using the worksheet enters specific measurements used to determine the percent of fat on the body. If the figures suit the Army's standards, the individual remains on a maintenance program. If the percentage is over the standards, the individual enters a reduction program with the target weight loss of three to eight pounds each month.
Men and women require different approaches to losing weight. The army body fat worksheet considers gender as part of the effective tracking of progress as well as attaining goals. Following are the current body fat calculating worksheets for men and women.
DA Form 5500
The DA 5500 is specific to males. This form uses the following information to determine the percentage of body fat:
- Abdomen measurement at the navel
- Neck measurement below the Adam's apple
The examiner rounds the measurements down to the nearest .50 percent, and each measurement is taken three times. The average of each measurement is entered in the second section of the chart.
- Average of abdomen measurements
- Average of neck measurements
The examiner subtracts the average of the neck measurements from the average of the abdomen measurements to determine the circumference value and enters the value on the form. The man's height is entered in inches. These figures correspond with a Percent Estimation for Men chart. The corresponding percentage is the estimated percent of fat on the man's body.
DA Form 5501
The DA5501 is specific to females. The following measurements are entered on this form:
- Neck measurement below the larynx
- Abdomen measurement at the smallest circumference
- Hip measurement where the buttock muscles protrude the furthest
Each measurement is recorded three times and the examiner enters the average in the final column. Each measurement is rounded down to the nearest .50 percent. The following calculations are made from the averages:
- Average waist circumference
- Average hip circumference
These figures are added together and the total is entered on the form. The neck circumference is subtracted from the total average of the waist and hip circumference. The result is the circumference value. The woman's height is entered in inches and the height and circumference value correspond with a Percent Estimation for Women chart. The corresponding percentage is the estimated percent of fat on the woman's body.
AR 600-9
The DA forms 5500 and 5501 are used in conjunction with the AR 600-9, the Army Weight Control Program. Table 2 in this document outlines the Army body fat standards as demonstrated in the following chart:
| Age Group | Males | Females |
| 17 - 20 | 20% | 28% |
| 21 - 27 | 22% | 30% |
| 28 - 39 | 24% | 32% |
| 40 and older | 26% | 34% |
Weight Calculators
Your ideal weight calculator should be motivating and accurate. A calculating device like the Army body fat worksheet can help you create a plan to boost metabolism for healthy weight loss and it can encourage you to continue on a viable maintenance program in the future.
