Body fat percentage norms

Fat mass - Fat Mass translated from English (FM) - means the total amount of fat present in the human body.

Typically expressed as percentage points (%) - relative to total body weight - fat mass can be divided into two different components:

1. primary or essential fat;
2. secondary or depot fat.

1. Primary or essential fat
2. Secondary or reserve fat
3. What is subcutaneous fat
4. What is visceral fat
5. Differences between subcutaneous and visceral fat
6. How to find out what percentage of body fat is
7. Roulette
8. Men's body fat percentage
9. Women's body fat percentage
10. Plyometry
11. Caliber
12. Body fat scale
13. Hydrostatic weight
14. Air displacement plethysmography
15. MRI or CT
16. What is the formula to calculate body fat percentage?

Primary or essential fat

As the name suggests, primary or primary fat corresponds to the lipid portion necessary for survival, full health and reproductive function.

It deals with fats found in the central nervous system (CNS), bone marrow, mammary glands, around the kidneys, spleen and several other tissues.

The percentage of fat required is higher in women than in men due to the needs associated with pregnancy and other hormonal functions.

Note: Even a small percentage of subcutaneous fat is actually considered necessary for overall health.

Primary fat can be considered as the minimum percentage of fat mass that is compatible with life.

For men, the amount of essential fat should not be < 3-5% - already at these levels some problems arise, such as increased susceptibility to infections;

For women, the amount of fat needed should be > 12% - already below 16% of “real” fat, some athletes experience amenorrhea with a greater risk of complications in the long term.

Secondary or reserve fat

Fat accumulated in adipose tissue represents the body's main energy reserve. It is found mainly at the subcutaneous level, but also in the visceral region - the proportion between the two varies depending on age, gender, ethnicity and fitness status. Part of it protects the internal organs of the abdomen and chest.

Normal values ​​are around 12%.

What is subcutaneous fat

Subcutaneous fat is that unsightly fat that can be seen under the skin. Unlike intramuscular or visceral fat, which you cannot see, this fat aesthetically defines an overweight person.

Not all subcutaneous fat is the same: what accumulates in the limbs is not dangerous to our health, unlike subcutaneous fat in the abdomen, which is very similar in characteristics to visceral fat.

For this reason, it is necessary to pay special attention and take measures to eliminate it

Subcutaneous fat is often used to predict a person's fat mass using skinfold measurements. Plyometry has a certain percentage of error, but remains a better tool than bioimpedancemetry, but worse than DEXA.

Body fat values ​​usually indicate how much fat we need (not subcutaneous fat) and how much we store in the corresponding areas.

The causes of excess fat may be related to chronic excess energy caused by a high-calorie diet and an often sedentary lifestyle.

What is visceral fat

Visceral fat, also known as abdominal fat, is the portion of adipose tissue concentrated in the abdominal cavity and distributed between the internal organs and the torso.

Visceral fat is different from subcutaneous fat, which is concentrated in the hypodermis (the deepest layer of the skin), and from intramuscular fat, which is instead distributed among muscle fibers (the latter also appears to be significantly associated with insulin resistance).

We can pinch the subcutaneous tissue with our hands, the name already tells us where it is located, and visceral fat hides among the viscera and accumulates in the mesentery and in organs such as the liver, pancreas, etc. and is located in the abdominal cavity.

While subcutaneous fat has a storage function and is mobilized during a calorie deficit, visceral fat is much more active and is constantly released into the bloodstream even without a calorie deficit.

This has a dual effect: on the one hand, inflammatory cytokines are released, on the other hand, free fatty acids interfere with the entry of glucose into tissues, causing insulin resistance and increasing blood sugar levels.

For this reason, the two types of fat are considered metabolically very different, and while fat under the skin does not pose any particular health concerns (with the exception of fat located in the abdominal cavity), at the level of the internal organs it becomes a metabolic, cardiovascular and risk factor. tumors.

How to find out what percentage of body fat is

Finding out how much fat you have isn't as simple as looking in the mirror or stepping on a scale. A bodybuilder and an obese person can be the same weight but have different percentages of body fat. Your weight alone doesn't tell you much about the muscle or fat you have. Instead, you will need to determine your body fat percentage.

Roulette

An easy way to measure your body fat percentage is to use a soft tape, like the kind you use for sewing, to record measurements of different parts of your body. You can also find specially sold tape measures. For this method, you also need to know your height in inches.

Men's body fat percentage

If you are a man, measure your neck and stomach circumference. Make sure you measure the most of each area. It may be easier to have a friend or family member.

To calculate your body fat percentage, subtract your neck value from your belly value to determine your circumference value. Find this number on a body fat chart and compare it to your height to estimate your body fat percentage.

Women's body fat percentage

If you are a woman, you should write down your neck, natural waist and hip measurements. Be sure to measure each area at its widest point. You can ask a friend or family member to help you.

To calculate your body fat percentage, add your waist and hip measurements, then subtract your neck measurement to determine your girth. For example, if your waist is 30, hips are 36, and your neck is 13, your girth value would be 53. Find this number on a body fat chart and compare it to your height to estimate your body fat percentage. .

Advice! When the tape is applied to the skin, it should make contact but not compress the skin in any way.

Take all measurements to find out your body fat percentage twice and average them. Then tape to within half a centimeter.

If you can't find the appropriate chart, you may want to consider using a body fat calculator, which are quite accessible online.

Taking measurements and entering numbers into an online calculator is relatively easy, but this method is not necessarily the most accurate. There is a lot of room for error when measuring yourself. Things like your clothing, what you ate, and how tight you tighten the tape measure can all affect your results.

Plyometry is the assessment of fat mass by measuring skinfolds (skinfolds) using an instrument called a caliper, similar to a caliper with a graduated scale.

This method determines the percentage of fat mass based on the thickness of the analyzed folds, of which there can be a maximum of seven (armpits, triceps, chest, under the shoulder blade, abdomen, upper bone and thigh) and a minimum of three (chest). , abdomen and thigh in men; triceps, shoulder and thigh in women).

Body circumferences of the chest, arms, forearms, abdomen, hips and thighs are another guideline when measuring body fat. Particular attention is paid to the measurement of the waist and hips, because their relationship is especially significant in cardiovascular diseases, and the circumference of the wrist allows you to calculate the size of the bones.

Caliber

A skinfold test is performed using an instrument called a caliper to measure different areas of the body and measure body fat. There are several ways to find out what your body fat percentage is, but many use the three-point approach developed by researchers Jackson and Pollock in the 1980s. This method requires the least amount of time and is also affordable, as you can find calipers online for less than 300 rubles.

How to find out your body fat percentage:

1. If you are a man, measure your chest, abs and thigh fat.
2. If you're a woman, measure fat in your triceps, suprailiac (about an inch above your hip bone), and thigh.
3. The caliper may have instructions on how to convert these numbers into body fat percentage.
4. You can also use an online skinfold calculator if you don't want to do the calculations yourself.
5. Measure on one side of the body, usually the right, for consistency.

Mark the injection site 1 cm above the skin.

You can ask a friend or family member to take your measurements for you.

Take at least two measurements of the same area and average them to obtain the most accurate data.

Advice! If done correctly, the error rate is approximately +/- 3%. You can also perform seven-point measurements for increased accuracy. This approach takes longer but can be slightly more accurate.

If you go to a gym, you can ask a personal trainer to help you with your measurements. This service is sometimes offered as part of a preliminary suitability assessment.

Body fat scale

The scale can evaluate body fat as part of its various functions. This type of scale uses a technology called bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). When you step on the scale, an electrical current travels through one leg, up to your pelvis, and down the other. Fat conducts much less electricity than water and muscle in your body. Then, as the scale reaches more resistance, it registers as much fat as possible.

Combined with your entered height, weight, age and gender, the scale uses an equation to determine your body fat percentage.

These scales may not be as accurate as you would like. Results may also be very different from other methods of measuring body fat percentage. This is because there are many variables that can affect the results, including:

1. your hydration level
2. when was the last time you trained
3. When and what did you last eat?

Hydrostatic weight

Hydrodensitometry is a weighing method in which you sit naked in a chair submerged in water. The density or weight of your body underwater is recorded as your body exerts a counter force on the water and moves it. The recorded weight can then be used to calculate your body fat percentage.

Underwater weighing to determine body fat percentage is very accurate and is considered the gold standard for this type of measurement. The percentage he estimates should be within 1% body fat for both adults and children. This is much more accurate than home methods such as body fat and bioelectrical impedance.

Air displacement plethysmography

Another method is air displacement plethysmography. Once undressed, you are taken into an egg-shaped computerized chamber (called a BOD POD) that completely covers your body. Once your body density is determined from your weight and volume, the machine uses this data to calculate your body fat percentage.

Research has shown that BOD-POD is very accurate. This corresponds to an underwater measurement accuracy of within 1% body fat for both adults and children.

MRI or CT

Perhaps the most accurate method for determining your body fat percentage is a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scan. These machines take cross-sectional images of the body and can even measure intra-abdominal fat.

What is the formula to calculate body fat percentage?

In English it is called Fat Mass, namely fat mass, and includes all the lipids of the human body. It is expressed as a percentage of total body weight and has two values: primary fat and storage fat.

The first is irreplaceable and is found in the bone marrow, mammary glands, kidneys, spleen, central nervous system and other tissues. Its presence is physiological and plays a primary role, so it is within the required fat percentage.

On the other hand, storage is the enemy, far from hidden, which is located in adipose tissue. This is the energy reserve of our body, concentrated at the subcutaneous and visceral level. In principle, in the right situation, the percentage of fat mass in men should be about 15% of total body weight, in women - 24%. Values ​​will be lower in athletes and significantly higher in obese people. How to calculate your body fat percentage?

Using some formulas:

1. Deurenberg: % body fat = (1.20 x BMI) + (0.23 x age) - (10.8 x gender) - 5.4
2. Gallagher: % body fat = (1.46 x BMI) + (0.14 x age) - (11.6 x gender) - 10
3. Jackson-Pollock: % body fat = (1.61 x BMI) + (0.13 x age) - (12.1 x gender) - 13.9 for which the numerical value assigned to gender is 0 for women and 1 for men.

In any case, you should constantly monitor the amount of fat in the body, especially in older age, since excess deposits develop the risks of serious diseases and this can worsen with age.

Watch the video “How to determine the amount of fat, water, muscle”