The American Council on Exercise Body Fat Categorization
| Description | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Essential fat | 10-13% | 2-5% |
| Athletes | 14-20% | 6-13% |
| Fitness | 21-24% | 14-17% |
| Average | 25-31% | 18-24% |
| Obese | 32+% | 25+% |
Jackson & Pollock Ideal Body Fat Percentages
| Age | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 17.7% | 8.5% |
| 25 | 18.4% | 10.5% |
| 30 | 19.3% | 12.7% |
| 35 | 21.5% | 13.7% |
| 40 | 22.2% | 15.3% |
| 45 | 22.9% | 16.4% |
| 50 | 25.2% | 18.9% |
| 55 | 26.3% | 20.9% |
Body Fat, Overweight, and Obesity
The scientific term for body fat is "adipose tissue". Adipose tissue serves a number of important functions. Its primary purpose is to store lipids from which the body creates energy. In addition, it secretes a number of important hormones and provides the body with cushioning and insulation.
Body fat includes essential body fat and storage body fat. Essential body fat is a base level of fat necessary to maintain life and reproductive functions. The amount differs between men and women: around 2-5% in men and 10-13% in women.
The healthy range for men is 8-19%, and for women 21-33%. Having too little or too much body fat can negatively affect health.
Storage fat is found in adipose tissue—either as subcutaneous fat (under the skin) or visceral fat (around internal organs). While some is ideal, excess fat has serious health risks.
Excess fat may lead to being overweight or obese, but being overweight doesn’t always mean having excess fat—muscle, bone, and water also contribute to weight. Muscle-heavy individuals may be labeled overweight by BMI alone.
Fat accumulation varies due to genetics and lifestyle. Diet and exercise can reduce fat. After age 40 (or menopause for women), hormonal changes can increase fat in certain areas (stomach in men, thighs/buttocks in women).
Potential Complications of Excess Body Fat
The WHO classifies obesity as one of the leading preventable causes of death. In the U.S., it's linked to 111,909 to 365,000 deaths annually. About 36.5% of U.S. adults are obese, per CDC.
Obesity is associated with lower quality of life, mental health issues, sleep apnea, and major diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes.
Fat produces hormones critical to body function. Disruption due to excess fat, especially visceral fat, can raise LDL ("bad" cholesterol), reduce HDL ("good" cholesterol), and increase insulin resistance—risk factors for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Measuring Body Fat Percentage
U.S. Navy Method
Uses circumference measurements and specific formulas to estimate body fat. Required measurements:
- Waist at navel for men; narrowest part for women.
- Neck circumference below larynx.
- Hip circumference (women only).
For males (USC):
BFP = 86.010 × log10(abdomen - neck) - 70.041 × log10(height) + 36.76
For males (Metric):
BFP = 495 / (1.0324 - 0.19077 × log10(waist - neck) + 0.15456 × log10(height)) - 450
For females (USC):
BFP = 163.205 × log10(waist + hip - neck) - 97.684 × log10(height) - 78.387
For females (Metric):
BFP = 495 / (1.29579 - 0.35004 × log10(waist + hip - neck) + 0.22100 × log10(height)) - 450
Other formulas:
Fat Mass (FM): FM = BF × Weight
Lean Mass (LM): LM = Weight - FM
BMI Method
An alternate method using BMI (calculated from height and weight). Then apply:
- Adult Males: BFP = 1.20 × BMI + 0.23 × Age - 16.2
- Adult Females: BFP = 1.20 × BMI + 0.23 × Age - 5.4
- Boys: BFP = 1.51 × BMI - 0.70 × Age - 2.2
- Girls: BFP = 1.51 × BMI - 0.70 × Age + 1.4