People frequently compare themselves to the known "average" for any given trait, as a way to measure progress or standing. When it comes to fatness, this technique is not accurate -- the average person in America is carrying too much fat. While it may boost your diet motivation to learn that you are below-average in this respect, it illustrates just how widespread a problem obesity has become.
Average Isn't Healthy
According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study conducted from 2003 to 2006, the average waist circumference for an American man is 39.7 inches, and the average American woman has a 37-inch waist. Considering that as of 2008, 1/3 of Americans were overweight and another 1/3 were obese, it is incorrect to assume that "average" means "healthy."
Waist Circumference as Reference Tool
The amount of belly fat you carry is not an accurate predictor of fitness, because different people tend to carry fat in different areas. Men tend to carry excess fat around their middle, while women tend to carry it in the hips and thighs. Even so, a man with a bulging belly and skinny limbs may easily have less overall body fat than a woman with a small waist and large lower body. Your waist circumference has, however, been linked to your coronary disease risk level. Men with waists that measure 40 inches or more run a higher risk of heart disease, as do women with waists of 35 inches or more. This illustrates that "average" is not necessarily something to aim for, as the "average" American woman is considered high risk, and the "average" American man is borderline.
Body Composition
Body parts tend to hold fat proportional to the size of the part -- for example, people don't tend to store their fat in their left index finger, but rather on their waist or hips. This is partly genetic and partly for reproductive reasons, but the end result is that it makes estimating body composition difficult because no one method works for everyone. The body mass index is widely used by doctors to estimate healthy weight ranges, but it can be inaccurate for muscular people. The BMI formula only takes height and weight into account, and muscle weighs more than fat -- meaning that a bodybuilder could be classified as obese while a naturally thin couch potato could be classified as healthy. The couch potato may have too much fat, but because she has no muscle, her weight is low. Low weight does not always equal health.
Overall Fat
The best way to gauge your body composition is to estimate the total amount of body fat you are carrying rather than relying on the size of a single body part like your waist. Doctors and trainers can use hand-held calipers to measure skin folds on various places around your body, then feed them into a formula that can extrapolate your total body fat. An overall body fat percentage of 25 to 31 percent is considered "average" for women, and 18 to 24 percent is considered "average" for men. Again, average doesn't mean "healthy" because to be considered fit, a woman must be between 21 and 24 percent, and a man must be between 14 and 17 percent.
References
- American Heart Association: Body Composition Tests
- Weight-Control Information Network: Statistics Related to Overweight and Obesity
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: Assessing Your Weight and Health Risk
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Body Measurements
- American Council on Exercise: What Are the Guidelines for Percentage of Body Fat Loss?
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