Body fat percentage measures your body's composition by taking into account the percent of your weight that is made up of fat versus lean body mass. Lean muscles take up less space than fat, creating a more toned and fit look. Too much body fat, even on a person of normal weight, is a risk factor for many health issues, including diabetes and heart disease.
Ideal Levels
There are no universal standards for the perfect level of body fat, because body fat levels are determined by age, gender and genetics. Men's level of healthy body fat is significantly less than women's because women need more fat to support childbearing. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) lists a healthy range for healthy adult men under age 40 from about 5 percent for an athlete to 22 percent; the range for women age 40 and under starts at 16 percent for an athlete to 35 percent. The younger and more athletic you are, the lower your body fat levels. As you pass age 40, acceptable levels of body fat increase slightly.
Benefits of Healthy Levels
Men with more than 25 percent body fat and women above 35 percent risk developing chronic health conditions related to obesity. Healthy body fat levels improve your appearance by making your muscles look more toned and your body taut. The elusive six-pack shows up, for men, at around 10 percent body fat. A higher percentage of lean muscle mass also contributes to a higher, more efficient metabolism--making it easier to maintain a healthy weight. Too much body fat impedes athletic performance, reducing speed, efficiency of movement and endurance.
Measuring Body Fat
Methods of measuring body fat vary in accuracy and complexity. According to an article in the April 2007 "Obesity Management," home body scales that use electrical impudence can be quite inaccurate. Dexa scans and hydrostatic (underwater) weighing are the most accurate methods, but they are expensive and require specific equipment. Certified personal trainers usually use a skin-fold caliper test, which, as lead author Kelli Christensen, M.S., points out, are reasonably accurate. A rough estimate of your body fat level also can be determined using mathematical formulas or a calculator such as the one at HealthCentral.com.
Reducing Body Fat
Losing weight is not enough to change your body composition. Keeping weight loss gradual--at a rate of about 1 or 2 lbs. per week--helps ensure you lose fat and not lean muscle. Aerobic and strength training compliments your attempts to reduce your body fat percentage, as the former burns fat and the latter builds muscle.
Caution
Reducing your level of body fat improves your health, but it is possible to go too low. Essential fat insulates internal organs, supports hormone production, supplies energy and promotes the absorption of certain vitamins. Extremely low body fat levels in women can cause irregular periods and infertility. Bodybuilders occasionally drop to extremely low levels but only for competition.
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