Ideal Body Weight Percent

Body fat percentage is a tool that is used to measure one's physical fitness and health. Although other measurements are available, such as body mass index, fitness website FitSugar explains that body fat percentage is more useful and accurate. Although a lower body fat percentage can be healthier than a higher body fat percentage, you do need some fat to survive.

Body Fat For Fitness

According to the American Council on Exercise, the range of body fat to be considered fit is between 21 and 24 percent for women and 14 to 17 percent for men. This amount of body fat is lower than the average ranges for men and women, as well as the obese ranges, which are defined as 32 percent or more for women and 25 percent or more for men. Based on these calculations, a fit female weighing 150 lbs. would have 31.5 to 36 lbs. of body fat, while a fit male of the same weight would have 21 to 25.5 lbs. of body fat.

Body Fat For Athletes

Body fat for athletes is defined as 14 to 20 percent for women and 6 to 13 percent for men. As fitness expert Brian Bullman explains, using body fat percentage measurement techniques such as skinfold measuring is preferable to body mass index, or BMI, for athletes because BMI fails to take muscle into account and can give a skewed perspective of a muscular athlete's fitness level.

Essential Body Fat

The American Council on Exercise explains that essential body fat levels fall between 10 and 13 percent for women and 2 to 5 percent for men. To test whether you are in this body fat range, you may wish to use assessment methods, such as Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis or Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry, which are more accurate than calipers, according to Brian Bullman.

Risks of High Body-Fat Percentage

Having a body fat percentage over 32 percent for women and 25 percent for men can put you at risk for obesity-related conditions. The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention explain that obesity can lead to conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, liver and gallbladder disease, heart disease and reproductive problems, among other issues.

Risks of Low Body-Fat Percentage

Although having a low body-fat percentage can be healthy, having less than the amount of body fat considered to be essential for proper health can be dangerous. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, excessively low body-fat percentage can compromise your athletic performance, halt your menstruation, reduce your immunity and decrease your energy levels.