Ideal Body Fat Percentage

From LoveToKnow Diet

Ideal body fat percentages work as a tool to help determine accurately whether or not you are at a healthy weight for your body type and size. That's right, you may not look obese, but just weighing yourself on the bathroom scale doesn't always offer the full picture regarding optimum health. It is possible for people within their normal weight range to carrying around excessive body fat. In fact, even people who may be considered underweight may have a higher percentage of body fat than is healthy.

Ideal Body Fat Percentages for Men and Women

They ideal body fat percentages outlined below are based on gender and age. For the Underfat category, percentages apply to people who have high muscle mass and may be considered overweight based on the BMI scale. While BMI is helpful in determining weight status based on criteria like height and weight, it is not noted for being accurate for muscular individuals. If you are a muscular person classified as underfat, it means you don't have adequate body fat to stay healthy.

**Percentages for Body Fat Ranges for Men**
Age	Necessary Fat	Underfat	Healthy	Obese
18 - 39	2 – 4 percent	5 – 7 percent	8 – 19 percent	20 percent and above
40 - 59	2 – 4 percent	5 – 10 percent	11 – 21 percent	22 percent and above
60 - 79	2 – 4 percent	5 - 12 percent	13 – 24 percent	25 percent and above

**Percentages for Body Fat Ranges for Women**
Age	Necessary Fat	Underfat	Healthy	Obese
18 - 39	10 – 13 percent	14 – 20 percent	21 – 32 percent	33 percent and above
40 - 59	10 – 13 percent	14 – 22 percent	23 – 33 percent	34 percent and above
60 - 79	10 – 13 percent	14 – 23 percent	24 – 35 percent	36 percent and above

How to Measure Body Fat

When you think of measuring body fat, what do you envision? Does it conjure up images of someone dressed in a starched white lab coat pinching your skin with calipers? Or perhaps you've scene people emerged into a large tank to determine their body density. While these methods are accurate, they are not the most convenient methods for those who want to take their measurements at home. Calipers take an expert hand, and large tanks and scales needed for underwater weighing require equipment and space. The following calculating method and tool offer alternatives to help you better understand your personal percentages.

Naval Method for Measuring Body Fat

These steps are easy and while the results aren't as accurate as those achieved by a professional, they do give you a truer grasp on where you stand regarding body fat in relation to your size and build. Measure the following:

Height (no shoes)
Abdomen circumference – measuring technique differs slightly for men and women. Men: bring the tape around the navel. Women: measure the part of the abdomen with least width. Measure with stomach relaxed and not sucked in
Neck circumference
Extra step for women: Measure you hips at the widest point

Once you have your measurements, use your findings with these formulas which have been adapted to work with inches rather than centimeters:

For men: Percentage of Body Fat equals: [86.010 times abdomen inches minus neck inches] minus [70.041 times height inches plus 36.76]

For women: Percentage of Body Fat equals: [163.205 times abdomen inches plus hip inches. Once you have this sum subtract the neck inches] minus [97.684 times height] minus 78.387

Calculators

If you're not into math and want a quicker, easier way to determine your current body fat percentage, the following resource is as easy as fill-in-the-blank:

Home Body Fat Test at the CholesterolNetwork.com

While monitoring your body fat percentage can help you with weight management and fitness goals, it's important to keep your doctor in the loop. As your health care provider, ask for their input regarding a diet plan. With their working knowledge of your medical history, they'll be able to take into consideration other actors like blood cholesterol when assessing your overall health.

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