Body Fat
Total body fat percentage is a person’s fat in relation to their total weight. The resultant percentage is from both essential fats and stored fats. Essential fats are the fats necessary in the sustaining of life and reproductive functions. Women require a higher percentage of essential fats than men because of their major role in childbearing and other hormonal functions.
Storage fats consist of the fat found in the adipose tissues; these kinds of body fats act as shock absorbers to the major internal organs. Total body fat percentage should exceed the essential fat percentage. There are various ways of calculating estimated body fat percentage and they are accessible on the internet.
Body fat is largely used to determine a person’s physical fitness. It is the only body measurement that can be used to directly calculate an individual’s body composition regardless of their height or weight. This is contrary to the body mass index that overlooks some of the other determinants and assumes that weight and height are the only vital components of determining how healthy an individual is. Body fat percentage can easily dispel the fears of a person otherwise classified as obese by proving them to be perfectly healthy.
Body fat percentage is usually associated with professional body builders because it is a major factor in determining their fitness. For professional body builders they are required to have a low body fat percentage of five percent or less for them to be viable for competition.
Unlike in the body builder’s circles a body fat percentage of less than five percent indicates serious health issues. The relationship between body fat percentages and your physical fitness can be influenced by a number of issues, for example, age and gender. For clarity it is best to look at the scale of body fat percentages and their interpretations.
For women between age of;
• 20 and 40, 19% to 26% body fat is healthy for them
• . 40+ to 60+, 23% to 30% is also considered healthy.
For men between age;
• 20 and 40, 10% to 20% body fat is considered healthy.
• 40+ to 60+, 19% to 23% is considered healthy.
If a person has body fat percentages that do not match those stated above the results are considered poor and the person is requested to look for the appropriate adjustment. Therefore after reading this article go out and get your body fat percentage calculated in a bid to working your way to a healthier you.