Body fat percentage is the amount of fat your body contains. It can also be a measure of how fit a person is at a given time. The ratio between body fat and lean muscle is important for metabolic rate and overall fitness conditioning. Normal body fat percentages vary from person to person.
Types of Body Fat
There are two types of body fat: essential body fat and storage fat. Storage fat is the fat the body uses for quick energy. Essential body fat is stored in all the major organs lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys, intestines, muscles and other organs in the body. The overall body fat total is a combination of these two fat types.
Body Fat Percentage
Body fat percentage is the ratio of body fat to lean muscle. The four most popular methods of measuring body fat percentage are the skin fold test, bioelectric impedance, water displacement and a DEXA test. These measure body fat percentage with varying accuracy.
Normal Body Fat
Normal body fat percentage is a combination of essential body fat and storage fat. Many variants make a difference on what is considered normal, such as fitness level, amount of muscle and body composition. Normal body fat percentage is different for a petite athlete or a tall, sedentary person. Normal fat percentages are different for men and women--women carry more essential fat in the breasts, thighs and hips than men. Normal body fat percentage ranges are 20 to 30 for women and 18 to 24 for men.
Normal Body Fat for Children
Children's body fat ratio fluctuates because the amount of fat is different for girls and boys. It also changes as they age. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "healthy weight ranges cannot be provided for children and teens." This is because what is a healthy body fat percentage changes with each month and for each sex. Height increases also change the range of what is considered normal body fat. The CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend using BMI (body mass index) as a diagnostic tool in assessing healthy weight for children.
BMI
BMI is an indicator of how much body fat a person has. BMI is not an accurate reading of body fat it is more "an indicator of your percentage of body fat," according to the Mayo Clinic. To determine BMI, measure the waist and put this number into an online BMI calculator or use a hand calculator. Divide body weight in pounds by height in inches, squared, and multiply by 703.
BMI interpretation for adults over 20 years old breaks down as below 18.5 is underweight, 18.5 to 24.9 is normal, 25 to 29.9 is overweight and 30 and above is obese. BMI for children and teens is calculated the same, but interpreted differently. Besides height and weight, birth date and sex are determinants in BMI for children up to age 20. Children's BMI is interpreted according to a growth rate chart, divided up into percentiles, according to the CDC
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