Some experts tout bmi or body mass index as the most accurate way to determine the effect of weight on your health. Bmi is an estimate of body fat and a good gauge of your risk for diseases that can occur with more body fat. For women their percentage of body fat in relation to age should be between 25 and 31. That ideal body fat level increases to 23 to 33 percent for women aged 40 to 59 and to 24 to 35 percent for women between the ages of 60 and 79. The average adult male body fat percentage should be between 18 and 25. 3 however that is just the minimum amount.
It is calculated from your height and weight. While they can provide some useful baseline data they shouldnt be the main focus when it. Obesity bmi of 30 or greater. While these numbers may be the average they are not a measure of health. Aim for a healthy weight. Bmi is a useful measure of overweight and obesity.
In my opinion i think body fat is one important measure of health but stating a certain body fat level is unhealthy doesnt give the whole story. For women in this same age group any level under 21 is underfat and 21 33 is considered healthy. Often used to measure bone mass for osteoporosis diagnoses dexa scans are also reliable methods of body fat measurement and can be more reliable than relying on bmi alone. Limitations of the bmi. One of the commonly used indicators of well being is a persons bmi which stands for body mass index. Women between the ages of 18 and 39 should aim for a body fat percentage of 21 to 32 percent.
According to various sources the minimum limit of body fat is around 2 5 for men 2 and 10 13 for women. Bmi and body fat measurements are two methods you can use to assess your body weight and composition. Body mass index is the standard metric for determining who is normal weight overweight and obese but bmi is not an accurate measure of fat and doesnt explain the causes of poor health. Download the bmi calculator app today available for iphone and android. In fact most recent medical research uses bmi as an indicator of someones. Your ideal body fat levels depend on your age.
The higher your bmi the higher your risk for certain diseases such as heart disease high.