Skeletal Muscle Mass Estimate Calculator

About this calculator

Skeletal muscle mass — the muscle attached to bone that drives voluntary movement — can be estimated from simple anthropometric data (height, weight, age and sex) using regression equations validated against gold-standard methods like DEXA scanning or bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), such as the widely cited Lee et al. (2000) prediction equation.

These anthropometric estimates matter clinically because low skeletal muscle mass relative to body size is a defining feature of sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength linked to falls, frailty and reduced independence in older adults, and tracking it over time is also common in strength training and body-composition monitoring when access to a DEXA scanner or BIA device is limited.

This calculator estimates your skeletal muscle mass in kilograms and as a percentage of body weight from your weight, height, age and sex, giving a reasonable estimate when direct body-composition testing is not available.