Healthy Range of Body Fat

A certain amount of fat is good because fat helps regulate body temperature, store energy, and cushion and insulate organs.According to the American Council on Exercise, "essential fat" is around 4% of body weight for men and 12% for women. According to the American Dietetic Association, men should have 20% body fat and women should have 25% body fat.

Body Fat Percentage Matters
It is important to know percentage of body fat for 2 reasons. First, the higher the percentage of fat above average levels, the higher the health risk for weight-related illness, like heart disease, high blood pressure, gallstones, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, and certain cancers. Second, the higher the body fat percentage the fewer calories you need to maintain your weight (or gain weight).

Body Fat Percentage in Men and Women
Men carry less body fat than women do. Body fat percentage in an average healthy woman is about 17-27 percent. In a man, the average body fat percentage is 10-20 percent.

*Healthy Range of Body Fat

1. Body Fat Guidelines from American Council on Exercise

2. Body Fat Guidelines from American Dietetics Association

A certain amount of fat is essential for energy reserves, bodily functions and body protection. However, at present there are no definite guidelines on healthy body fat percentage. The above are two differing guidelines for healthy or normal body fat percentages.

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