People like to ask questions like what is the ideal body fat for them at their age. Since the definition of “ideal” may be different from one another. So we are making it clear, the “ideal” we mean is from health aspects.
Calculation on body fat percentage
- By body fat scale (as in “How to tell if you are deficient of muscle?”)
- By U.S. military formula (as in “How to tell if you are deficient of muscle?”)
- Calculate your circumference value(CV)
- Measure and then put waist circumference plus hip circumference minus neck circumference
- Refer to reference table
- Look for corresponding estimation of body fat percentage.
(for 2016 version: https://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/support/21st_Century_Sailor/physical/Documents/Guide%204-%20Body%20Composition%20Assessment%20(BCA)%202016.pdf ) - By Body Mass Index (BMI)
- BMI = weight (in kg) / height 2 (in meter)
- Body fat percentage = (1.20 * BMI) + (0.23 * Age) – 5.4
- Skinfold calipers
- For this method, we recommend you to get a certified trainer or trained professionals for measurement with higher accuracy (try to have the same person for every measurements for reliability of results).
Refer to table
There are plenty of tables for you to refer to. The two below classify by categories and ages
| Category | Body Fat Percentage(%) |
| Essential fat | 10-13% |
| Athletes | 14-20% |
| Fitness | 21-24% |
| Acceptable | 25-31% |
| Obesity | >32% |
Table 1: Reference table for body fat percentage regardless of age. (American Council on Exercise, n.d.)
| Age | Percentage |
| 20-39 | 21-32% |
| 40-59 | 23-33% |
| 60-79 | 24-35% |
Table 2: Reference table for healthy body fat percentage with age as a factor. (Beth Israel Lahey Health Winchester Hospital, n.d.)
Take it lightly
We hope you take this numbers and classification as reference and motivation to enhance your health by having balanced diet and adequate exercises rather than being stressed to have your value reduced to a particular number. Thank you!
References:
- American Council on Exercise. (n.d.). Percent Body Fat Calculator: Skinfold Method. Retrieved 29 October 2019, from https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/tools-calculators/percent-body-fat-calculator
- Beth Israel Lahey Health Winchester Hospital. (n.d.). Your Body Fat Percentage: What Does It Mean?. Retrieved 29 October 2019, from https://www.winchesterhospital.org/health-library/article?id=41373
- Kirsten, N. (2019, July 8). How Much Muscle Mass Should I Have, and How Do I Measure It? Retrieved 29 October 2019, from https://www.healthline.com/health/muscle-mass-percentage
- LaMeaux, E.C. (n.d.). HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR IDEAL BODY FAT PERCENTAGE. Retrieved 29 October 2019, from https://www.gaiam.com/blogs/discover/how-to-calculate-your-ideal-body-fat-percentage
- Sara, L. (2019, August 16). What Is My Ideal Body Fat Percentage. Retrieved 29 October 2019, from https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/ideal-body-fat-percentage
- https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background photo created by freepik – www.freepik.com
