Well-conditioned athletes and exercise buffs generally have a higher percentage of muscle mass than less active individuals. An unhealthy weight for a person with a sedentary lifestyle may be considered normal for an athlete. Muscle takes up less space than fat so 1 lb. of muscle is more condensed than 1 lb. of fat, which can complicate the process of identifying a healthy weight.
Factors
Several variables play a role in determining a healthy weight, including your body composition, age, height, gender and, according to the Baylor College of Medicine, your ethnicity. Women typically maintain less muscle mass than men, for example, and people tend to lose muscle mass with age. Baylor reports that African American women generally have 1.76 percent less body fat than Caucasian women, while body fat percentages in Hispanic, Asian and Asian-Indian women are up to 5.98 percent higher than in Caucasian women.
Body Mass Index
The body mass index is commonly used to estimate body fat percentage using height and weight variables. The National Institutes of Health report that healthy nonsmokers with a body mass index in the normal range experience a decreased risk for premature death. Normal weight ranges on the body mass index scale range from a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9, while weights in the 25 to 29.9 range indicate overweight and scores of 30 or over indicate obesity.
Exceptions
The body mass index doesn't account for differences in muscle-to-fat ratio and this can affect the reading for athletes, as well as for individuals who may carry more body fat than others. For example, some individuals may register a healthy weight on the BMI scale and still carry an unhealthy percentage of body fat, a condition termed normal weight obesity. Based on the Baylor College of Medicine's research into ethnicity variables in body mass index, a BMI of 32 is a more accurate indicator of obesity in African American women, and Hispanic women with a BMI of 28 may be considered obese.
Considerations
Since it's the percentage of body fat that largely determines weight-related health risks, an accurate measurement will help you identify whether your weight is in the healthy range. A healthy body fat percentage for women is 20 to 21 percent, while men should aim for 13 to 17 percent, according to MedlinePlus. Skinfold measurement provides an accurate reading of body fat, while measuring your waist circumference can help predict your risk for health problems stemming from overweight or obesity. A waist measurement greater than 35 in women and 40 in men indicates an unhealthy level of body fat, which means weight loss is in order.
References
- Baylor College of Medicine: BMI Scale Not Accurate Measure for Obesity
- National Institutes of Health: NIH Study Identifies Ideal Body Mass Index
- MedlinePlus: Weight Management
- American Council on Exercise: Percentage Body Fat Calculator, Skinfold Method
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: Assessing Your Weight and Health Risk
- MayoClinic.com: Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters
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