What is Body Fat

A person’s total body fat percentage is the total weight of the person’s fat divided by the person’s weight. The resulting number reflects both essential fat and storagefat.

   * Essential fat is that amount of fat necessary for maintenance of life and reproductive functions. The percentage for women is greater than that for men, due to the demands of childbearing and other hormonal functions. Essential fat is 2-4 % in men and 10-12% in women

   * Storage fat consists of fat accumulation in adipose tissue, part of which protects internal organs in the chest and abdomen. the minimum recommended total body fat percentage exceeds the essential fat percentage value reported above. A number of online tools are available for calculating estimated body fat percentage.

Recommendations

Wemen

Age                 Underfat           Healthy Rang           Over Weight            Obese

20-40 yrs     Under  21 %             21 - 33 %                     33 - 39%            Over 39 %

41-60 yes     Under  23 %             23 - 35 %                     35 - 40 %          Over 40 %

61-79 yes     Under 24 %             24 - 36 %                     36 - 42 %           Over 42 %
Men
 Age                 Underfat           Healthy Rang           Over Weight            Obese61-79 yes    
20-40 yrs     Under  8 %               8 - 19 %                     19 - 25 %            Over 25 %

41-60 yes     Under  11 %            11 - 22 %                     22 - 27 %          Over 27 %

61-79 yes     Under 13 %             13 - 25 %                     25 - 30 %           Over 30 %