Body Adiposity Index Calculator (BAI)
Find Your Body Fat Percentage using Height and Hip Measurements
How to calculate Body Fat Index using this tool?
- The calculation for Body Adiposity or Fat Index is dependent on your height and hip measurements.
- First, select the unit for height - either feet and inches or meter. Enter your height in the field labelled as Your height
- Select the unit for Hip measurement. You can enter the hip measurement in inches or centimeter
- Select Age Group and Gender . Both are optional.
- Click on the Calculate button. Your BAI score is displayed in %.
- Refer the Classification chart to find out if it's healthy, overweight , underweight or obese range
Formula to calculate Body Adiposity Index
BAI = (hip circumference/(height)^1.5) - 18
hip circumference is in centimeters and height is in meters.
You can measure your hip circumference using a measuring tape
Wrap it around the largest portion of the hip while in standing position
Note it down in cm or inches. In above formula, convert to centimeter if you have measured in inches
BAI classification for women:
| Age(years) | Underweight | Healthy | Overweight | Obese |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-39 | < 21% | 21% to 33% | > 33% | > 39% |
| 40-59 | < 23% | 23% to 35% | > 35% | > 41% |
| 60-79 | < 25% | 25% to 38% | > 38% | > 43% |
BAI classification for men:
| Age(years) | Underweight | Healthy | Overweight | Obese |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-39 | < 8% | 8% to 21% | > 21% | > 26% |
| 40-59 | < 11% | 11% to 23% | > 23% | > 29% |
| 60-79 | < 13% | 13% to 25% | > 25% | > 31% |
What is Body Adiposity Index?
- Body Adiposity Index or BAI in short is a measure of the amount of body fat in humans. It is expressed in Percentage.
- Adipose also means Fat. We can also refer to this measure as Body Fat Index.
- The fat cells are stored in adipose tissue
- BAI formula is based on hip measurement and height derived based on experiments and research
- BAI value is used as an estimate to determine if a person is in normal, underweight, overweight or obese range
- BAI Range varies based on age group and gender
Recommended BAI Table for Men and Women covering Age Groups 20 to 39 years
Note: This is computed based on what is considered as Normal BAI score for Men (8% - 21%) and for Women (21% to 33%) for Age group of 20 to 39 years.
| Height (ft-in / cms) | Height (cm / m) | Hip Range (cm) Male | Hip Range (in) Male | Hip Range (cm) Female | Hip Range (in) Female |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 ft 10 in / 58 in | 147 cm / 1.47 m | 47 cm - 70 cm | 18 in - 28 in | 70 cm - 92 cm | 27.5 in - 36 in |
| 4 ft 11 in / 59 in | 150 cm / 1.5 m | 48 cm - 72 cm | 19 in - 28 in | 72 cm - 94 cm | 28 in - 37 in |
| 5 ft / 60 in | 152 cm / 1.52 m | 49 cm - 74 cm | 19.2 in - 29 in | 74 cm - 96 cm | 29 in - 38 in |
| 5 ft 1 in / 61 in | 155 cm / 1.55 m | 51 cm - 76 cm | 20 in - 30 in | 76 cm - 99 cm | 30 in - 39 in |
| 5 ft 2 in / 62 in | 157 cm / 1.57 m | 52 cm - 78 cm | 20.4 in - 31 in | 77.1 cm - 101 cm | 30.4 in - 40 in |
| 5 ft 3 in / 63 in | 160 cm / 1.6 m | 53 cm - 79 cm | 21 in - 31.1 in | 79 cm - 104 cm | 31 in - 41 in |
| 5 ft 4 in / 64 in | 163 cm / 1.63 m | 54 cm - 81 cm | 21.2 in - 32 in | 81 cm - 106 cm | 32 in - 42 in |
| 5 ft 5 in / 65 in | 165 cm / 1.65 m | 56 cm - 83 cm | 22 in - 33 in | 83 cm - 109 cm | 33 in - 43 in |
| 5 ft 6 in / 66 in | 168 cm / 1.68 m | 57 cm - 85 cm | 22.4 in - 33.4 | 85 cm - 111 cm | 33.4 in - 43.7 |
| 5 ft 7 in / 67 in | 170 cm / 1.7 m | 58 cm - 87 cm | 23 in - 34 in | 87 cm - 114 cm | 34 in - 45 in |
| 5 ft 8 in / 68 in | 173 cm / 1.73 m | 60 cm - 89 cm | 23.6 in - 35 in | 89 cm - 116 cm | 35 in - 46 in |
| 5 ft 9 in / 69 in | 175 cm / 1.75 m | 61 cm - 91 cm | 24 in - 36 in | 91 cm - 119 cm | 36 in - 47 in |
| 5 ft 10 in / 70 in | 178 cm / 1.78 m | 62 cm - 93 cm | 24.4 in -37 in | 93 cm - 121 cm | 37 in - 48 in |
| 5 ft 11 in / 71 in | 180 cm / 1.8 m | 63 cm - 95 cm | 25 in - 37.4 in | 95 cm - 124 cm | 37.4 in - 49 in |
| 6 ft / 72 in | 183 cm / 1.83 m | 65 cm - 97 cm | 25.5 in - 38 in | 97 cm - 127 cm | 38 in - 50 in |
| 6 ft 1 in / 73 in | 185 cm / 1.85 m | 66 cm - 99 cm | 26 in - 39 in | 99 cm - 129 cm | 39 in - 51 in |
| 6 ft 2 in / 74 in | 188 cm / 1.88 m | 67 cm - 101 cm | 26.3 in - 40 in | 101 cm - 132 cm | 40 in - 52 in |
| 6 ft 3 in / 75 in | 191 cm / 1.91 m | 69 cm - 103 cm | 27 in - 40.5 in | 103 cm - 135 cm | 41 in - 53 in |
| 6 ft 4 in / 76 in | 193 cm / 1.93 m | 70 cm - 105 cm | 27.5 in - 41 in | 105 cm - 137 cm | 41.3 in - 54 in |
| 6 ft 5 in / 77 in | 196 cm / 1.96 m | 71.1 cm - 107 cm | 28 in - 42 in | 107 cm - 140 cm | 42 in - 55 in |
| 6 ft 6 in / 78 in | 198 cm / 1.98 m | 73 cm - 109 cm | 28.7 in - 43 in | 109 cm - 143 cm | 43 in - 56 in |
| 6 ft 7 in / 79 in | 201 cm / 2 m | 74 cm - 111 cm | 29 in - 43.7 | 111 cm - 145 cm | 43.7 in - 57 in |
| 6 ft 8 in / 80 in | 203 cm / 2.03 m | 76 cm - 113 cm | 30 in - 44 in | 113 cm - 148 cm | 44 in - 58 in |
| 6 ft 9 in / 81 in | 206 cm / 2.06 m | 77 cm - 116 cm | 30.3 in - 45 in | 116 cm - 151 cm | 46 in - 59 in |
| 6 ft 10 in / 82 in | 208 cm / 2.08 m | 79 cm - 118 cm | 31 in - 46 in | 118 cm - 154 cm | 46.4 in - 61 in |
| 6 ft 11 in / 83 in | 211 cm / 2.1 m | 80 cm - 120 cm | 31.4 in - 47 in | 120 cm - 157 cm | 47 in - 62 in |
What are the different methods to measure Body Fat?
There are 4 methods that have a relation to body fat measurement. These are
- Body Mass Index (BMI) - height and weight
- Body Adiposity Index (BAI) - height and hip
- Relative Fat Mass (RFM) - height and waist
- Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR) - waist and hip
- Body Mass Index (BMI) gives a measure of body fat based on height and weight measurements. However, it does not distinguish between muscle mass and fat leading to some inaccuracies.
- Body Adiposity Index (BAI) was evolved to improve upon BMI. BAI uses hip measurement instead of weight and height. The classification of BAI ranges is also based on gender and age and not generic as in BMI
- Relative Fat Mass (RFM) uses waist and height measurements to estimate body fat %.
- It gives a better measure of fat around the organs which is a key indicator of health risk. RFM has separate classification for men and women. It does not distinguish with age groups and has a common classification across all of them.
- Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR) is more an indicator of body shape based on fat distribution. It classifies the shapes as Pear, Avocado and Apple and corresponding health risk for each. The ranges and classification are based on gender
Frequently Asked Questions on Body Adiposity Index Calculator
For Women ,
20-39 - 21% to 33%
40-59 - 23% to 35%
60-79 - 25% to 38%
For Men ,
20-39 - 8% to 21%
40-59 - 11% to 23%
60-79 - 13% to 25%
BAI can be measured with a tape in standing position.
Wrap it around the largest part of the hip region for the hip circumference measurement. Note down the value in cms.
For height, stand against a wall, and measure from top part of head to toe in straight position. Convert the cm or inches to meter.
Apply the formula for BAI (hip circumference/(height)^1.5) - 18
BMI uses body weight to find the fat percentage.
BAI does not use body weight but uses hip circumference to find the BAI.
Both use height as the common parameter.
They are complementary to each other.
Both have limitations and not the ideal most accurate measure but useful as a rough indicator of body fat percentage.
Since BMI uses weight, it has the drawback of not being able to distinguish between muscle mass weight vs fat weight.
Also BMI does not have age or gender specific classification.
BAI was formulated to address age and gender specific classification.
Yes, Adipose cells or tissue is referred to as body fat. They store fat as globules.
Fat under the skin is Subcutaneous fat (thigh, hip and those under the skin).
They are also referred as SAT - Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue.
Visceral fat is the fat surrounding liver and other organs and is located deeper inside the body.
They are also referred to as VAT - Visceral Adipose Tissue.
