Mon 25 Jun 2007
It occurred to me in my recent stats post that people may not be aware of the current scale for body fat percentage, so here it is as according to FamilyEducation website (sorry for the formatting; my blog spaces things funny so I couldn’t line up a chart):
IN WOMEN:
Body fat percentile provides the most accurate estimate of body composition. Body fat percentile is an indication of the percent of your body that is made of fat. Normal body fat percent for women is 20 to 30 (for men it is lower). In women, below 17 is extreme low body fat; between 30 to 33, high body fat; and above 34, extremely high body fat or obese. The recommended healthy body fat percentiles increase slightly with age.
Body Fat Standards for Women Recommended by Age Group
* Ages 20-29:
Very low: <16%
Low: 16-19
Optimal: 20-28
Moderately high: 29-31
High: >31
*Ages 30-39:
Very low: <17
Low: 17-20
Optimal: 21-29
Moderately high: 30-32
High: >32
*Ages 40-49:
Very low: <18
Low: 18-21
Optimal: 22-30
Moderately high: 31-33
High: >33
*Ages 50-59:
Very low: <19
Low: 19-22
Optimal: 23-31
Moderately high: 32-33
High: >34
*Ages 69+:
Very low: <20
Low: 20-23
Optimal: 24-32
Moderately high: 33-35
High: >35
This is what I could find on men, as compared to women, on another website:
* For “athlete” body type:
Men: <10%
Women: <17%
* For “lean” body type:
Men: 10-15
Women: 17-22
* For “normal” body type:
Men: 15-18
Women: 22-25
* For “above average” body type:
Men: 18-20
Women: 25-29
* For “overfat” body type:
Men: 20-25
Women: 29-35
* For “obese” body type:
Men: 25+
Women: 35+
I’m optimal 🙁 and on the higher end of optimal!
I want to be “low” or “very low!” I guess in time… *sigh*
you and me both! *sigh*
So if you have big boobs, your have a higher amount of body fat?
mammary glands are encased in fat cells, yes.