What Is Body Fat Percentage?
Body fat percentage is an important factor for metabolic health and fitness levels. Body fat percentage is the body fat in proportion to lean mass, organs, tissues and water. High levels of body fat raise the risk of developing many chronic health conditions. Healthy body fat percentage ranges are listed in this blog.
How to Calculate?
There are several ways to calculate body fat percentage. The best way to measure body fat involves using specialized equipment like a DEXA scan to measure the density of body tissue. There are several other ways to assess body fat. Like skinfold caliper test and the Bioelectrical Impedance scan. You can learn more about different modes to measure body fat percentage and analyze body composition by listening to 9 to 5 Wellness podcast episode #25, Beyond the Scale: Understanding Body Composition.
The American College of Medicine recommends the following healthy body fat percentage ranges. It takes into account age and body composition differences between men and women. Notice that body fat % increases with age.
See the table below.
| Age | Men Healthy Body Fat % | Women Healthy Body Fat % |
| 20 – 29 | 7 –17% | 16 – 24% |
| 30 – 39 | 12 – 21% | 17 – 25% |
| 40 – 49 | 14 –23% | 19 –28% |
| 50 – 59 | 16 –24% | 22 –31% |
| 60+ | 17 –25% | 22 –33% |
Body Fat Percentage Table for Women
In terms of physiology, it is important to note that women require a slightly higher amount of essential body fat compared to men. This is primarily due to the specific needs of women’s bodies for optimal health. Essential body fat plays a crucial role in providing insulation, safeguarding internal organs, storing important vitamins, and regulating hormones to support a healthy pregnancy. It’s worth mentioning that body fat distribution also undergoes changes as women age, further emphasizing the dynamic nature of body composition. Ideal body fat percentages by age group for women are listed below:
Age 20–29 years
| Category | Percentage |
| dangerously low | under 14% |
| excellent | 14 to 16.5% |
| good | 16.6 to 19.4% |
| fair | 19.5 to 22.7% |
| poor | 22.8 to 27.1% |
| dangerously high | over 27.2% |
Age 30–39 years
| Category | Percentage |
| dangerously low | under 14% |
| excellent | 14 to 17.4% |
| good | 17.5 to 20.8% |
| fair | 20.9 to 24.6% |
| poor | 24.7 to 29.1% |
| dangerously high | over 29.2% |
Age 40–49 years
| Category | Percentage |
| dangerously low | under 14% |
| excellent | 14 to 19.8% |
| good | 19.9 to 23.8% |
| fair | 23.9 to 27.6% |
| poor | 27.7 to 31.9% |
| dangerously high | over 31.9% |
Age 50–59 years
| Category | Percentage |
| dangerously low | under 14% |
| excellent | 14 to 22.5% |
| good | 22.6 to 27% |
| fair | 27.1 to 30.4% |
| poor | 30.5 to 34.5% |
| dangerously high | over 34.6% |
Age 60–69 years
| Category | Percentage |
| dangerously low | under 14% |
| excellent | 14 to 23.2% |
| good | 23.3 to 27.9% |
| fair | 28 to 31.3% |
| poor | 31.4 to 35.4% |
| dangerously high | over 35.5% |
Body Fat Percentage Table for Men
While it’s essential for men to maintain a healthy body fat percentage, the ideal fat percentages for men are generally lower when compared to those for women. Below are the ideal body fat percentages by age group for men:
Age 20–29 years
| Category | Percentage |
| dangerously low | under 8% |
| excellent | 8 to 10.5% |
| good | 10.6 to 14.8% |
| fair | 14.9 to 18.6% |
| poor | 18.7 to 23.1% |
| dangerously high | over 23.2% |
Age 30–39 years
| Category | Percentage |
| dangerously low | under 8% |
| excellent | 8 to 14.5% |
| good | 14.6 to 18.2% |
| fair | 18.3 to 21.3% |
| poor | 21.4 to 24.9% |
| dangerously high | over 25% |
Age 40–49 years
| Category | Percentage |
| dangerously low | under 8% |
| excellent | 8 to 17.4% |
| good | 17.5 to 20.6% |
| fair | 20.7 to 23.4% |
| poor | 23.5 to 26.6% |
| dangerously high | over 26.7% |
Age 50–59 years
| Category | Percentage |
| dangerously low | under 8% |
| excellent | 8 to 19.1% |
| good | 19.2 to 22.1% |
| fair | 22.2 to 24.6% |
| poor | 24.7 to 27.8% |
| dangerously high | over 27.9% |
Age 60–69 years
| Category | Percentage |
| dangerously low | under 8% |
| excellent | 8 to 19.7% |
| good | 19.8 to 22.6% |
| fair | 22.7 to 25.2% |
| poor | 25.3 to 28.4% |
| dangerously high | over 28.5% |
