The ideal percentage of body fat varies between each
individual depending on various factors such as
body type, hereditary, age,
activity levels and eating habits. However for any one person there’s no
reason why body fat percentage should be above 25 percent if the general
lifestyle provides adequate activity.
Overweight people generally
develop a higher body fat percentage due to either a sedentary lifestyle or
a regular consumption of more
energy than the body requires, often though it is the combination of
both these factors over time that allow the body fat percentage to push to
high levels.
We all store body fat in different
areas of the body. Although where fat is stored mainly depends on genetic
factors, men generally have more fat cells around the abdominal area and
women usually store more fat around the hips and thighs. On decreasing body
fat to the ideal percentage it is the more abundant storage areas where we
often lose it from last. A certain percentage of body fat is also stored
internally. This visceral fat is also reduced on losing weight much to the
frustration of the dieter when they look in the mirror and believe that no
progress has been made.
Age is also a major factor for
changes in body fat percentage, as we age we tend to store more fat mainly
due to a lowered metabolism and changes in
hormones. It is interesting to note that the actual
numbers of fat cells are established up
to the age of around 16 years. After this age an increase in fat storage
results in the expansion of each fat cell not an increase in the numbers.
Some people who try to reduce
stored fat sometimes have an unrealistic estimation about the ideal fat
percentage they should aim for, with a view that the lower the better. In
fact,
it is considered unhealthy to have a percentage of body fat below three
percent for men or ten percent for women. The minimum percent body fat
considered safe and acceptable for good health is 5% for males and 12% for
females, although some people can reduce fat levels much lower without any
problems especially if a low percentage is only maintained for a short time.
Tom
Venuto often reduces his fat percentage to
a very low 3.5 percent however, two possible factors help him achieve this,
his genetic potential or low numbers of fat cells and the knowledge he has
developed from years of training to strip down the fat percentage.
As much as some wish to rid the
body of stored fat it is essential, it acts as insulation and padding for
joints, nerves and vital organs. However the average person tends to carry
far more than the body requires. The recommended
body fat percentage for men
and women is shown below.
Recommended Body Fat Levels for men and women:
|
Males age range |
Too Little |
Healthy range |
Overweight |
Obese |
|
20-30yrs |
Below 8% |
8 - 19% |
19 - 25% |
over 25% |
|
31-40yrs |
Below 8% |
8 - 19% |
19 - 25% |
over 25% |
|
41-50yrs |
Below 11% |
11 - 22% |
22 - 27% |
over 27% |
|
51-60yrs |
Below 11% |
11 - 22% |
22 - 27% |
over 27% |
|
61-70yrs |
Below 13% |
13 - 25% |
35 - 30% |
over 30% |
|
71-80yrs |
Below 13% |
13 - 25% |
35 - 30% |
over 30% |
|
Females age range |
Too Little |
Healthy range |
Overweight |
Obese |
|
20-30yrs |
Below 21% |
21 - 33% |
33 - 39% |
over 39% |
|
31-40yrs |
Below 21% |
21 - 33% |
33 - 39% |
over 39% |
|
41-50yrs |
Below 23% |
23 - 35% |
35 - 40% |
over 40% |
|
51-60yrs |
Below 23% |
23 - 35% |
35 - 40% |
over 40% |
|
61-70yrs |
Below 24% |
24 - 36% |
36 - 42% |
over 42% |
|
71-80yrs |
Below 24% |
24 - 36% |
36 - 42% |
over 42% |
Recording body
fat percentage
It would be good practice to regularly monitor fat levels as this can
indicate if any changes in lifestyle or diet affects your body fat
percentage.
There are many body fat
monitors now available that can be a valuable tool to
help monitor your
progress. You will learn very quickly if you are to reach your ideal fat
percentage on time and reveal if a lack of visual results is simply due to a
loss in visceral fat within the body cavity.
Some body fat monitors use Bioelectrical Impedance
Analysis (BIA) technology. These body fat monitors work by sending a
low-level electrical signal through the body from two footpads on the
scales. The signal passes more quickly through muscle than fat due to its
high water content. The monitor analyzes the readings from this signal with
stored personal data (height, weight, gender, activity level). This
information is converted to a body fat percentage within seconds.
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