Much has been said about the importance, benefits and dangers of body fat. Understanding more about body fat and the roles that it plays will help you in assessing and improving your fitness levels. You'll also have better control over the decisions you make about your diet.
Body Fat
Body fat is a term used in describing the deposits of fat in the body. Body fat can be divided into two distinct categories: storage fat and essential fat. Essential fat refers to fat that the body needs to function effectively. It is used during cellular respiration and provides additional benefits such as the protection of organs. The average amount of essential fat in relation to a person's size and mass is 3 percent for men and 12 percent for women. Storage fat is made up of fat deposits that have been converted from unused calories by the body. They are stored beneath the skin at any part of the body. However, a larger part of these fat deposits are stored in you midsection region because it requires the least amount of effort to be carried about.
Body Fat Index
Body fat index is a numeric scale used in measuring the amount of fat present in your body's composition in relation to your total mass. The index is used in determining whether people have healthy fat levels or are overweight or underweight. People with high fat percentages have increased risks of suffering from diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and stroke.
Female Body Fat Index
According to the US National Library of Medicine, the average American female has between 22 and 25 percent body fat. The recommended amount of body fat for a healthy female is 20-21 percent. Women who have over 30 percent body fat are considered overweight. Although, low body fat percentages are encouraged, it is important that women do not go below 10 percent since this will affect their essential body fat.
Male Body Fat Index
An average American male has between 17 percent and 19 percent body fat. While far from unhealthy, this range is higher than ideal. The recommended body fat percentage as revealed by Medline Plus is 13 percent to 17 percent. Male athletes sometimes have body fat percentages lower than 5 percent. Men with body fat percentages in excess of 25 percent are considered obese.
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