- Target body fat percentages
- Women
- Men
- How to calculate
- BMI
- Limitations
- Questions for doctors
- Summary
A high percentage of body fat can increase the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other health conditions. Various charts can show how much body fat is healthy for individuals of different ages.
Accurately measuring body fat is essential for assessing health risks. “Ideal” body fat refers to healthy adults’ average body fat range.
In this article, learn about ideal body fat percentages for people by age, as well as how to calculate BMI.
You’ll notice the language used to share stats and other data points is pretty binary, fluctuating between the use of “male” and “female” or “men” and “women.” While we typically avoid language like this, specificity is key when reporting on research participants and clinical findings.
What should my body fat percentage be?
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A person’s ideal body fat percentage depends on their age, sex, and several other factors. Body fat composition and location are also important factors when assessing health.
Due to the multifactorial nature of body fat and overall health, people are often better suited to aiming for a range rather than a single figure. This range can depend on the doctor or the institution involved.
Body fat percentage table for people assigned female at birth
Physiologically, people assigned female at birth (AFAB) need more essential body fat than those assigned male at birth (AMAB).
Essential body fat is necessary for insulation, the protection of internal organs, vitamin storage, and hormone regulation to promote a healthy pregnancy.
Ideal body fat percentages by age group are as follows, according to the University of Pennsylvania:
Age 20–29 years
CategoryPercentagelowunder 14%excellent14 to 16.5%good16.6 to 19.4%fair19.5 to 22.7%poor22.8 to 27.1%dangerously highover 27.2%
Age 30–39 years
CategoryPercentagelowunder 14%excellent14 to 17.4%good17.5 to 20.8%fair20.9 to 24.6%poor24.7 to 29.1%dangerously highover 29.2%
Age 40–49 years
CategoryPercentagelowunder 14%excellent14 to 19.8%good19.9 to 23.8%fair23.9 to 27.6%poor27.7 to 31.9%dangerously highover 31.9%
Age 50–59 years
CategoryPercentagelowunder 14%excellent14 to 22.5%good22.6 to 27%fair27.1 to 30.4%poor30.5 to 34.5%dangerously highover 34.6%
Age 60–69 years
CategoryPercentagelowunder 14%excellent14 to 23.2%good23.3 to 27.9%fair28 to 31.3%poor31.4 to 35.4%dangerously highover 35.5%
Body fat percentage table people assigned male at birth
AMAB also need to keep their body fat percentage in a healthy range. Ideal body fat percentages by age group are as follows:
Age 20–29 years
CategoryPercentagelowunder 8%excellent8 to 10.5%good10.6 to 14.8%fair14.9 to 18.6%poor18.7 to 23.1%dangerously highover 23.2%
Age 30–39 years
CategoryPercentagelowunder 8%excellent8 to 14.5%good14.6 to 18.2%fair18.3 to 21.3%poor21.4 to 24.9%dangerously highover 25%
Age 40–49 years
CategoryPercentagelowunder 8%excellent8 to 17.4%good17.5 to 20.6%fair20.7 to 23.4%poor23.5 to 26.6%dangerously highover 26.7%
Age 50–59 years
CategoryPercentagelowunder 8%excellent8 to 19.1%good19.2 to 22.1%fair22.2 to 24.6%poor24.7 to 27.8%dangerously highover 27.9%
Age 60–69 years
CategoryPercentagelowunder 8%excellent8 to 19.7%good19.8 to 22.6%fair22.7 to 25.2%poor25.3 to 28.4%dangerously highover 28.5%
How to calculate
There is no single formula to calculate a person’s body fat percentage accurately. The best way to measure body fat involves using specialized equipment, usually in a doctor’s office or with a personal trainer. A doctor can use fat calipers to calculate fat percentages in specific areas of the body.
There are several other accurate ways to assess body fat. These include underwater weighing, X-rays, and air displacement plethysmography.
Measuring BMI is another way to estimate body fat. Although this method has limitations, BMI does correlate well with body fat in most people. It is also quicker and easier than other methods of measuring body fat.
BMI
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) offers a free BMI calculator and height- and weight-based BMI chart.
The formula for calculating BMI is (weight in pounds x 703) / (height in inches)2.
To calculate BMI, a person should:
- multiply their weight in pounds by 703
- multiply their height in inches by itself
- divide the answer from Step 1 by the answer from Step 2 to calculate their BMI
To interpret the final number, a BMI:
- below 18.5 means a person is underweight
- between 18.5 and 24.9 means a person is of a “normal,” or moderate, weight
- between 25 and 29.9 indicates a person is overweight
- above 30 indicates a person has obesity
Problems and limitations
Many body fat assessments show that people have higher body fat percentages than official guidelines recommend. Individuals can be healthy while also having unusually high body fat. These differences raise concerns about whether ideal body fat percentages are realistic.
Average body fat percentages also vary by race and ethnicity. This suggests there may be cultural or racial biases with ideal body fat percentages.
Using BMI to assess body fat or overall health is another issue. BMI only accounts for weight — it makes no distinction between lean muscle, body fat percentage, and bone mass.
These factors are relevant to overall health and assessing body fat. For example, the BMI of a person with high bone density and muscle mass may indicate they have high body fat.
Also, BMI cannot assess where fat is in the body. The location of body fat is also relevant to overall health. For example, fat around the abdomen has higher health risks than fat in other areas.
There are many limitations to BMI and measuring body fat. Having a high body fat percentage or BMI does not always lead to health problems. However, this method does still provide a quick and useful clinical tool to assess health risks.
Questions to ask a doctor
It might be helpful to ask a doctor the following questions:
- What is the ideal body fat percentage for people of my age, activity level, and sex?
- What is the most accurate way to calculate body fat percentage?
- Does my health status suggest that a body fat percentage test might be helpful?
- What can I do to be healthier?
- Am I at a moderate weight?
»MORE:Learn how to lose weight the healthy way, the Wellos way
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Summary
Accurately calculating body fat percentages at home is challenging. However, BMI calculations or fat calipers can give a rough estimate of body fat levels.
Body fat is a useful indicator of overall health. However, there are limitations to its use.
Rather than focusing on body fat alone, it is best to prioritize an overall healthy lifestyle. Exercising more, doing regular strength training, and eating a balanced diet are good ways to maintain health.
