Body fat does not remain constant all
through life. It changes through different phases of
life.
Adolescence :
- During adolescence, significant changes in body
composition occur - both body fat and lean body mass.
- Boys add more lean mass and less body fat than
girls during adolescence.
- Girls put on more body fat than boys during adolescence.
This is perfectly normal and healthy. A female should
always have a higher percentage of body fat than a
male of equal fitness because her amount of essential
fat is higher and her reproductive function requires
more energy.
Adulthood
- During adulthood, the healthy
ranges of body fat differ for men and women.
- The body fat ranges for women are
significantly higher than for men because of the reproductive
function of women. The range of percent body fat increases
slightly with age in both men and women.
Pregnancy
- It is normal and healthy for a woman to gain weight
during pregnancy. Usually, a baby accounts for one
third of that weight gain.
- Fat gained during pregnancy is needed to produce
milk once the baby is born. The baby also gains fat
as pregnancy proceeds, especially in the last three
months of the pregnancy.
Lactation
- During lactation, the body requires even more energy
than pregnancy.
- Even at six months after delivery, body composition
may still be different from before pregnancy, especially
if the woman is exclusively breast feeding her baby.
Aging
- Body
fat increases with age.
- Lean body mass decreases because you lose muscle
mass.
- The body's water content decreases.
- Bone density is reduced, sometimes to unhealthy
levels.
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