The composition of your body can be measured and divided into two areas: fat mass, also known as body fat; and fat-free mass, which is everything else such as bones, muscles, organs, tissues, blood and fluid. Your body fat percentage is the ratio of fat in pounds against your total body weight. The resulting percentage is classified into categories that give a range of what is considered to be normal or average.
Normal Body Fat Percentage
The American Council on Exercise states that an average or normal body fat percentage for women is between 25 to 31 percent. Since 32 percent is classified as being obese, it makes sense that it is much healthier to be at the low end of this category range, making 25 percent a far better goal than 31 percent, particularly for young women. Keep in mind that this range called normal or average is where women should fall, not necessarily where most average American women do fall.
Essential Body Fat vs. Obese Body Fat Percentages
Due to the functions and baby-making potential of the female body, essential body fat for women is 10 to 13 percent, which is much higher than the essential fat for men of 2 to 5 percent. On the other end of the spectrum, over 32 percent is considered obese for women, while anything over 25 percent is obese for a man. Female athletes strive for body fat percentages of 14 to 20 percent, while women who aim to be better than average or normal, but are not as lean as an athlete fall in the 21 to 24 percent range.
Older Women
As women age, their percentage of body fat usually increases, with more fat being carried viscerally, or deep within the body, rather than at the surface. This allows older women a little more leniency in what is considered to be normal, with 30 percent or so being considered acceptable.
Methods of Measuring Body Fat
Body fat is measured by various methods, including scales, bioelectrical impedance devices, calipers and hydrostatic, or underwater weighing. Underwater weighing is the most accurate method, but is hardly practical or convenient for most people. Measuring with calipers is accurate when performed by someone with lots of experience. Body fat scales and hand-held bioelectrical impedance devices are less accurate, but still provide valuable information, are easy to use at home and will show your trend up or down over time.
Normal Weight Obesity
According to the Mayo Clinic in 2008, more than half of American women considered to have normal body weight have high body fat percentages of more than 30 percent, coining the phrase "normal weight obesity" to describe these new types of at-risk patients. This suggests that our focus needs to shift from simply maintaining a normal weight to monitoring body fat percentages in assessing health risks for heart disease and metabolic disturbances.
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