Body fat is an essential component of the body's makeup, and healthy women's body weight should be 18 to 25 percent body fat. Excess fat leads to obesity and a range of related health issues such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Women with more than 30 percent body fat are considered obese. Understanding your body composition will help you manage health and make long-term fitness plans.
Identification
There are different methods to obtain a read of your body composition. These go beyond simple height and weight charts to break down the amount of lean tissue, water and fat in your body. Methods include bioelectrical impedance analysis, underwater weighing, body scanning and caliper fat-fold tests. Methods vary in terms of cost, accuracy and the professional training required to conduct them.
Function
Body fat is made up of essential fat and storage fat. Essential fat is required for the body's organs, muscles, bone marrow and central nervous system to properly function. Women tend to have more essential fat than men because they have added reproductive functions that require it. Storage fat is made up of tissue under the skin or fat that pads internal organs, and women have similar levels of this type of fat as men do.
Benefits
There are many benefits for changing your body composition. According to the American Heart Association, excess fat increases your risks for high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and diabetes which ultimately increases your risk for heart disease and stroke. Further, changing your body composition can improve metabolism which means you will burn more calories, even at rest.
Approaches
Approaches to changing body composition are similar to the methods used to lose weight. This includes modifying diets to include more whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Also, increased physical activity, especially sustained strength training will convert fat to muscle and change body composition over time. The American College of Sports Medicine offers physical activity guidelines for healthy and older active adults.
Considerations
Body fat percentage alone does not provide a full picture of health. The distribution of fat is also important. Android fat, is associated with an "apple shape" body and excess weight carried around the abdomen. Gynoid fat is associated with extra weight around the hips and thighs, and a "pear shape" body. Android obesity is related to a much higher risk for hypertension, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Research from the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" suggests that the combination of a narrow waist and large hips may protect against cardiovascular disease.
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