What’s Your Body Fat Percentage?

Body fat percentage is the percentage of your weight that is made up of fat. It consists of both essential body fat and storage body fat. The former is necessary to support life and reproductive functions. Storage body fat is the mass of additional accumulated fat. Part of it protects your abdomen and internal organs.

How to Calculate Your Ideal Body Fat Percentage

Here’s a method to calculate your body fat using only your scale and a calculator.

Lean body mass (men) = (weight * 1.082) + 94.42 – Waist * 4.15

Lean body mass (women) = (weight * 0.732) + 8.987 + wrist / 3.140 – waist * 0.157 – hip * 0.249 + forearm * 0.434

Body fat weight = weight – lean body mass

Body fat percentage (BFP) = body fat weight / weight

Once you calculated your body fat percentage, you should compare it with the recommended values.

Ideal body fat percentage for Women

Women Underfat Healthy Overweight Obese
20-40 yrs old – 21% 21-33% 33-39% +39%
41-60 yrs old – 23% 23-35% 35-40% +40%
61-79 yrs old – 24% 24-36% 36-42% +42%

 

Ideal body fat percentage for Men

Men Underfat Healthy Overweight Obese
20-40 yrs old -8% 8-19% 19-25% +25%
41-60 yrs old – 11% 11-22% 22-27% +27%
61-79 yrs old – 13% 13-25% 25-30% +30%