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For men, that means a body fat percentage of less than 21 percent, and for women it's less than 31 percent. These are the age-adjusted body fat percentile recommendations health pros use: Men:
Body fat percentage is a measure of body fat relative to your overall weight. It’s usually a much better indication of whether you have a healthy weight or are at risk of health issues. The catch?
Studies have shown that the amount of belly fat is an important determinant that correlates with the risk of chronic diseases because it is a sign of adipose tissue accumulation around the organs.
BMI has been criticised for conflating fat and muscle, and more recent studies have concentrated on body composition. Among Australian university students, the most attractive body composition for women (10.31 kg fat, 42.45 kg muscle) was found to be lower in fat than both the most healthy appearing composition, and below the healthy range. [165]
Adipose tissue (also known as body fat or simply fat) is a loose connective tissue composed mostly of adipocytes. [1] [2] It also contains the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) of cells including preadipocytes, fibroblasts, vascular endothelial cells and a variety of immune cells such as adipose tissue macrophages.
But it is important to recognise that women need at least 9% more body fat than men to live a normal healthy life. [2] Data from the 2003–2006 NHANES survey showed that fewer than 10% of American adults had a "normal" body fat percentage (defined as 5–20% for men and 8–30% for women). [3]
One easy way to gauge if you have a healthy amount of belly fat is by measuring waist circumference, which is generally considered 35 inches or less for most women and 40 inches or less for most men.
The distribution of fat varies, with fat tending to deposit first in the buttocks, hips, and thighs. As body fat percentage increases, an increasing proportion of body fat is distributed around the waist and upper abdomen. The women of this body type tend to have a relatively larger rear, thicker thighs, and a small(er) bosom.