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How-to guide

How to Calculate Fat Free Mass Index: Formula, Steps & Examples

Learn how to calculate Fat Free Mass Index — the formula explained step by step, with worked examples and a free calculator to check your answer.

By Dr. Neha Sharma, MBBS, MD (Nutrition) · Updated Jun 2026 · 2 min read

Calculating your fat-free mass index (ffmi) is straightforward once you know the Fat Free Mass Index formula and what each input means. This guide explains the method in plain language, walks through a manual calculation, and gives worked examples you can follow — then you can do it instantly with the Fat Free Mass Index Calculator.

What is Fat Free Mass Index?

The Fat Free Mass Index calculation tells you your fat-free mass index (ffmi) from a few simple inputs. The figure you are solving for here is the fat-free mass index (ffmi).

The Fat Free Mass Index formula

The core formula is:

Fat-free mass index (FFMI) = (Weight × (1 - Body fat percentage ÷ 100)) ÷ ((Height ÷ 100) ^ 2)

Here is what each input means:

  • Weight — a value measured in kg. Example: 70 kg.
  • Body fat percentage — a percentage, such as an annual rate. Example: 15%.
  • Height — a value measured in cm. Example: 175 cm.

How to calculate it step by step

  • Write down the weight (for example, 70 kg).
  • Write down the body fat percentage (for example, 15%).
  • Write down the height (for example, 175 cm).
  • Apply the formula above to get your fat-free mass index (ffmi).
  • Double-check the result with the Fat Free Mass Index Calculator.

Worked examples

Example 1

Input / OutputValue
Weight70 kg
Body fat percentage15%
Height175 cm
Fat-free mass index (FFMI)19.43
Fat-free mass59.50

With weight of 70 kg, body fat percentage of 15% and height of 175 cm, the fat-free mass index (ffmi) works out to 19.43.

Example 2

With weight of 140 kg, body fat percentage of 15% and height of 175 cm, the fat-free mass index (ffmi) works out to 38.86.

ResultValue
Fat-free mass index (FFMI)38.86
Fat-free mass119.00

Example 3

With weight of 35 kg, body fat percentage of 15% and height of 175 cm, the fat-free mass index (ffmi) works out to 9.71.

ResultValue
Fat-free mass index (FFMI)9.71
Fat-free mass29.75

Tips for an accurate result

  • Keep your units consistent — mixing, say, months with years or grams with kilograms is the most common source of error.
  • Round only at the very end. Rounding inputs early can shift the final answer noticeably.
  • Re-run the numbers whenever an input changes, rather than estimating from an old result.
  • These figures are general estimates, not medical advice — check with a qualified professional before acting on them.

Prefer not to do the maths by hand? — the Fat Free Mass Index Calculator does it instantly, for free, with the formula and a worked example built in.

Continue exploring health calculators with these tools: BMI Calculator, Corrected Calcium Calculator, Anion Gap Calculator, QTc Calculator (Bazett), Maintenance Fluid Calculator (4-2-1 Rule).

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Frequently asked questions

The formula is: Fat-free mass index (FFMI) = (Weight × (1 - Body fat percentage ÷ 100)) ÷ ((Height ÷ 100) ^ 2). With weight of 70 kg, body fat percentage of 15% and height of 175 cm, the fat-free mass index (ffmi) works out to 19.43.

Gather each input, apply the formula step by step keeping your units consistent, and round only at the end. You can verify your answer instantly with the Fat Free Mass Index Calculator.

It uses the standard formula with exact arithmetic, so the result is correct for the inputs you enter. Bear in mind that real-world outcomes can still differ when underlying assumptions change.

Dr. Neha Sharma · MBBS, MD (Nutrition)

Dr. Neha Sharma is a physician specialising in nutrition and preventive health, with over a decade of clinical experience helping patients understand body metrics and healthy lifestyle targets.