Body fat percentage is more than just the percentage of fat in the body; it is also a measure of fitness. Because men and women's bodies have different compositions and, therefore their body fat ratios are different. What is considered a normal body fat percentage in men will be different for women.
Types of Body Fat
There two are types of body fat: essential and storage fats. Essential body fat is found in all the major organs lungs, liver, kidneys, intestines, muscles and other organs. Storage fat is what the body uses for energy reserves. Everyone has some of both. The composition and distribution of fats in the body varies between men and women. Women carry more essential body fat in their hips, thighs, breasts and pelvis.
Body Fat Measurement
The most accurate methods of measuring body fat are also the most expensive. To use body fat as a marker for a fitness program, a general measurement such as BMI (Body Mass Index) will suffice. BMI is a formula based on height and weight to measure body fat this can be done by hand calculation or by using an online BMI calculator.
Other body fat measurement systems fall into two categories mechanical measurement and operator dependent measurement. Bioelectrical Impedance and the skin fold tests accuracy relies on the skill of the person conducting the test. Other factors such as hydration and body composition can affect the test results. Both tests are easy, inexpensive and have a ±3 percent error, if done correctly.
Mechanical measurement is the most accurate. The DEXA (Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptionmetry) scan, Bod Pod and water displacement tests have the highest accuracy and the largest cost. The DEXA scan can be done by universities, research facilities or in a doctor's office. The water displacement test measures body fat by submerging a person underwater in a special tank. Georgia State University uses a variation on this method, "Instead of using water to measure body volume, the Body Pod uses air displacement to measure body volume."
Normal Body Fat in Women
Normal body fat percentage in women varies from person to person. The American College of Sports Medicine separates body fat into two categories: health and fitness standards. According to their chart, women over 40 years of age should have 20 to 35 percent body fat for health standards, for fitness standards, that number would be 16 to 28 percent. For a woman under 40 years of age the numbers would be 25 to 38 percent health standards and 20 to 33 percent for fitness standards.
Effects of Body Fat
According to the National Institutes of Health, "Weighing too much may increase your risk for developing many health problems." Some of the diseases associated with high body fat are type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, metabolic syndrome, osteoarthritis, gallbladder disease, fatty liver disease and certain types of cancer.
A low body fat percentage can pose health risks also. Essential body fat is necessary for normal body functions low body fat problems include low energy, a decrease in hormones that stop menstruation and it can damage the health of the heart and cause premature bone loss.
How to Lose Body Fat
Diet and exercise are the best ways to reduce body fat and improve overall health. The Mayo Clinic's recommendation for reducing body fat in women is to include daily moderate exercise, lite strength training using weights, eat a healthy diet and toning of the abdominal muscles.
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