Your body fat percentage can be a good indication of your health. As a woman, you will have a larger amount of fat than a similarly healthy man, but your body fat percentage should still be controlled. An unhealthy body fat percentage increases your chance of having high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.
Body Composition
Your body is composed of two types of tissue. These include lean mass and fat mass. Lean mass includes all of the skeletal muscle, smooth muscle, water, bone, connective tissue and skin. Fat mass, is just that; fat. Your body carries two types of fat, essential and non-essential. As a woman, you have more essential fat than a man. Essential fat is the fat that is necessary for your body to operate properly, for a woman, this includes reproductive fat that including breasts and womb protection. Non-essential fat is the excess fat your body stores as potential energy.
Body Fat Percentage Norms For Women
Body fat recommendations vary for women by age. Women who are between the ages of 18 to 34 should have a body fat percentage between 20 to 35 percent. A woman 35 to 55 years old should aim for a body fat of 23 to 38 percent and women older than 55 should maintain a body fat percentage between 25 to 38 percent.
Body Fat Distribution
Where your body fat is distributed can affect your health. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease, fat located around your abdominals indicates an increased risk of disease. A woman should have a waist circumference less than 35 inches.
Assessing Body Fat
You can evaluate your body fat percentage using the skinfold caliper method. This involves a series of fat measurements on seven areas of your body including the arms, back, stomach, hips and thighs. The caliper is used to separate the fat from the lean body mass in order for it to be measured. An average of the measurements is taken and used in a specific equation that will provide an estimation of your body fat. To measure your waist circumference, use a pliable measuring tape and measure your waist at your belly button.
Intervention
According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, a weight loss of just five to 10 percent of your body weight can reduce your risk of developing a chronic disease. Weight loss from a calorie-controlled diet and physical activity can reduce your body fat while increasing your lean body mass. Staying in the normal range of body fat for a woman is an important part of being healthy.
References
- "Exercise Physiology"; George A. Brooks, Thomas D. Fahey, Kenneth M. Baldwin; 2005
- Weight Control Information Network
- "Health Fitness Instructor's Handbook"; Edward T. Howley and B. Don Franks; 2003
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: Assessing Your Weight and Health Risk
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