DA Form 5500 is the Army Body Fat Content Worksheet used to record circumference measurements and calculate body fat percentage for male soldiers under the Army Body Composition Program (AR 600-9).1United States Army. DA Form 5500 – Body Fat Content Worksheet (Male) To fill it out, you record the soldier’s weight, measure the abdomen (and neck, if the single-site test fails), apply the printed formula or table, and compare the result to the age-group maximum. Use the June 2023 edition — earlier versions do not include the single-site tape test or the supplemental assessment section added by Army Directive 2023-11.
Confirm the Soldier Needs a Tape Test
A body fat assessment happens only when a soldier exceeds the AR 600-9 screening table weight for his height, or when the commander determines his appearance suggests excess body fat.2Department of the Army. Army Regulation 600-9 – The Army Body Composition Program A soldier at or below the screening weight is not taped.
Two exemptions block the tape test even when weight is over. Soldiers who score 540 or higher on the ACFT with at least 80 points in each of the six primary events are exempt until their next record ACFT, capped at eight months for Regular Army and AGR soldiers and 14 months for Guard and Reserve.3The United States Army. New Directive Exempts Soldiers Who Score 540+ on the ACFT From Body Fat Assessment No alternate events count. If the soldier qualifies, check the exemption box on the form and take no measurements. Postpartum soldiers are exempt for 365 days after the conclusion of pregnancy, including perinatal loss.4U.S. Army. Army Directive 2025-02 – Parenthood, Pregnancy, and Postpartum
Set Up the Measurement
The soldier wears the standard Army PT uniform — trunks and T-shirt — in stocking feet. No running shoes, no PT jacket, and no binding undergarments such as spandex shorts or girdle-like garments at the abdomen, hip, or thigh.2Department of the Army. Army Regulation 600-9 – The Army Body Composition Program
Two trained personnel run the assessment. One places the tape and reads it, the other verifies placement and tension and records on DA Form 5500. Both must be trained in circumference methodology, typically a designated unit fitness trainer, certified master fitness trainer, or NCO trained by the commander.2Department of the Army. Army Regulation 600-9 – The Army Body Composition Program Measurers should be the same gender as the soldier; if that is not possible, a same-gender witness must be present.
Only two tools are authorized: an annually calibrated scale and a non-stretchable tape measure. Record weight to the nearest pound, rounding down for fractions under half a pound and up for half a pound or more.5Department of the Army. AR 600-9 – The Army Body Composition Program Height for body fat purposes is taken to the nearest half inch.
Part I: Single-Site Tape Test
Part I of the June 2023 form uses one measurement site: the abdomen at the level of the navel. Keep the tape horizontal around the body, snug against the skin without compressing it. The soldier stands normally and breathes normally. He does not suck in the stomach.1United States Army. DA Form 5500 – Body Fat Content Worksheet (Male)
Take the abdominal measurement three times. Round each reading down to the nearest half inch. Average the three readings to the nearest half inch and write that value on the form.
Calculate body fat using the formula printed on the worksheet:
Body Fat % = −26.97 − (0.12 × body weight in pounds) + (1.99 × abdomen circumference in inches)1United States Army. DA Form 5500 – Body Fat Content Worksheet (Male)
Alternatively, cross-reference the abdomen average and body weight in Figure B-1 of AR 600-9 to read the percentage directly.
Compare to the Age-Group Maximum
Male soldier maximums from Table B-2 of AR 600-9:2Department of the Army. Army Regulation 600-9 – The Army Body Composition Program
- Age 17–20: 20 percent
- Age 21–27: 22 percent
- Age 28–39: 24 percent
- Age 40 and older: 26 percent
If the Part I result is at or below the limit for the soldier’s age, he passes. Stop there. Part II is not needed.
Part II: Multi-Site Confirmation
A soldier who fails Part I moves to the multi-site test on page two, using two sites.
Neck: measured just below the larynx, perpendicular to the long axis of the neck. Do not lay the tape directly on the Adam’s apple. Round each reading up to the nearest half inch.1United States Army. DA Form 5500 – Body Fat Content Worksheet (Male)
Abdomen: same site as Part I, at the navel. Round each reading down to the nearest half inch.
Take three readings at each site. If any one reading differs from the other two by more than one inch, take a fourth and average the three closest.5Department of the Army. AR 600-9 – The Army Body Composition Program The rounding directions differ on purpose: neck up, abdomen down.
Subtract the neck average from the abdomen average to get the circumference value. Cross-reference that value with the soldier’s height in Figure B-1 of AR 600-9 to read the body fat percentage.2Department of the Army. Army Regulation 600-9 – The Army Body Composition Program Compare that percentage to the same age-group maximum.
Supplemental Assessment Option
A soldier who fails both the single-site and multi-site tape tests may request a supplemental assessment if the technology is reasonably available. Three methods are approved:6Army Resilience. Body Fat Calculator
- DXA (Dual X-ray Absorptiometry), using low-power X-ray beams to separate bone mineral, lean mass, and fat mass.
- InBody 770, using mild electrical currents to calculate body fat, muscle, and water.
- Bod Pod, using air displacement plethysmography. It is the only authorized air-displacement device.
If the supplemental result puts the soldier at or below the age-group limit, he passes. If he declines the option or fails it, the tape test result stands.7U.S. Army. Army Directive 2023-11 – Army Body Fat Assessment for the Army Body Composition Program Record the supplemental method and result in the designated section of the form.
Signatures, Filing, and Version
The measurer and the recorder both sign and date the completed worksheet, certifying that the assessment followed AR 600-9 procedures. The commander reviews the form to confirm the results. The signed worksheet goes into the soldier’s local ABCP file and becomes part of the permanent administrative record used for promotion, reenlistment, and school selection decisions.
The current form is dated June 2023 and is available through the Army Publishing Directorate. Older versions lack the single-site tape test and the supplemental assessment sections and should not be used.
Female Soldiers Use DA Form 5501
DA Form 5500 is the male worksheet. Female soldiers are measured on DA Form 5501, which uses three sites: neck, waist (the narrowest point of the abdomen, roughly halfway between the navel and the breastbone), and hips (the widest point of the buttocks).8Department of the Army. AR 600-9 – The Army Body Composition Program The rounding conventions, three-measurement averaging, supplemental assessment options, and program procedures are the same on both forms.