Your ideal body fat percentage can depend on your age, sex, and activity level. Tracking movement and calories can help determine your body’s healthiest weight.
No number is a complete picture of your individual health. How you treat your body and mind are often better indicators of your overall health and well-being.
However, we do live in a time where doctors and other experts need to use charts, data, and other measurements to create a standard definition of health. That is why a doctor or another healthcare professional will often chart your body mass index, or BMI, during routine physicals.
While BMI and other measurements such as body fat percentage do serve a purpose, it’s also important to remember that moving your body and making purposeful choices about the foods you eat also contribute to your overall health.
With that in mind, think of BMI and body fat percentage as just one way to assess and monitor your weight and overall body composition.
In this article, we use “male and female” to refer to someone’s sex as determined by their chromosomes, and “men and women” when referring to their gender (unless quoting from sources using nonspecific language).
Sex is determined by chromosomes, and gender is a social construct that can vary between time periods and cultures. Both of these aspects are acknowledged to exist on a spectrum — both historically and by modern scientific consensus.
When it comes to measuring body fat percentage, some of the common methods include:
Skinfold calipers
Skinfold calipers are instruments used to measure the thickness of your skin, which can help determine body fat percentage. Using skinfold calipers to assess body composition is often a popular option.
With this method, you can measure your own body fat or have a certified trainer or other trained professional take the measurements and calculate your body fat percentage.
Of the two options, having a trained professional handle the process will likely result in a more accurate result, as obtaining skinfold caliper measurements on yourself may not provide the most accurate results.
If you plan on using the skinfold method more than once to measure progress, try to have the same person take the measurements each time and use the same brand caliper. This can increase the validity and reliability of the results.
Other methods
If seeking out a trainer or taking your own skinfold measurements isn’t an option, there are a few ways you can track your body fat at home.
Body circumference measurements and body fat scales that use bioelectrical impedance are both methods you can do on your own.
While not as accurate as skinfold measurements taken by a trained professional, these methods do have some merit and can be a helpful tool when tracking progress.
A DEXA scan and hydrostatic weighing are also among the most accurate options for calculating body fat. However, they are also the least accessible and most expensive.
Since a BMI calculation is based solely on your height and weight, being female or male does not factor into how that number is calculated. That said, there are
Body fat percentages for women fall under a few different categories. Some charts will divide the percentages by categories, such as athletes and acceptable ranges.
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) has a body fat chart that breaks it up into the following categories for women:
| Category | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Essential fat | 10% to 13% |
| Athletes | 14% to 20% |
| Fitness | 21% to 24% |
| Average | 25% to 31% |
| Obesity | ≥32% |
In general, men have a lower body fat-to-lean tissue ratio than women, which explains the differences in the ranges. Reproduction plays a role in higher body fat percentages in women.
With that in mind, the ACE chart gives the following ranges for men:
| Category | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Essential fat | 2% to 5% |
| Athletes | 6% to 13% |
| Fitness | 14% to 17% |
| Acceptable | 18% to 24% |
| Obesity | ≥25% |
BMI is a numerical value of your weight in relation to your height, according to the
Many doctors use the results to help categorize your body weight as either:
- underweight
- typical or healthy (moderate) weight
- overweight
- obesity
Each of these categories then corresponds to the following BMI ranges, according to the
| Category | BMI |
|---|---|
| Underweight | 18.5 |
| Healthy (moderate) weight | 18.5 to 24.9 |
| Overweight | 25 to 29.9 |
| Obesity | 30 and above |
There are several BMI calculators online. Some do more than just calculate your BMI, which has its perks, but the most important thing is to make sure you’re using a calculator from a trusted source.
For example, this CDC BMI calculator is appropriate for adults
If you’re under age 20, the CDC also has a BMI percentile calculator for people
If you think of BMI and body fat measurements as one tool you have available to help you track your progress, you may be less likely to get fixated on the results.
In other words, rather than being driven by reducing a particular number, consider being motivated to enhance your health by fueling your body with nourishing foods and taking steps to include some form of physical activity in your daily routine.
Having this mindset can help make it easier to understand and accept the issues and limitations that come with BMI and body fat percentages.
BMI limitations
When it comes to BMI, the fact that it
For example, a muscular athlete may have a higher BMI because of extra lean mass and consequently, could be categorized as overweight or obese.
Whereas someone with a lower weight and a much higher body fat-to-lean mass ratio could fall under the typical to healthy (moderate) range.
Plus, BMI does not account for gender, age, or ethnicity, so it may not be an equally valid test for all populations.
Body fat percentage limitations
Body fat percentages, on the other hand, also have issues and limitations. If you’re using the skinfold method, but not having the same skilled professional do the measurements each time, you may see varying results.
Along those same lines, even if the same person does the measurements each time, if they’re off by an inch or two in where they grab the skin, the results may not be reliable.
Tracking your body fat percentage is one way to measure progress when you’re trying to lose weight or gain lean muscle mass. But it is not the entire story of your overall health. Eating healthful foods and staying active are the helpful areas to focus your energy.
If you have any questions or concerns about your BMI or body fat percentage, consider talking with your doctor, a certified personal trainer, or a registered dietitian. They can help you understand your individual results and work with you to design a plan that fits your needs.
How to find one
There are several ways to find a certified personal trainer or registered dietitian in your area. First, consider calling local gyms and asking about the credentials of their trainers. It’s important that you look for trainers with certifications such as:
- NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association)
- ACE (American Council on Exercise)
- ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine)
- NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine)
It’s a bonus if they have a degree in exercise science, kinesiology, or sports medicine. You can also locate trainers through the websites of the certifying agencies and organizations.
For example, ACE has a section on its website that allows you to search for trainers in your area.
If you want to work with a dietitian, the most important credential to look for after their name is “RD,” which stands for registered dietitian. Many RDs will also have several other credentials that indicate further training and expertise.
Similar to ACE, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has a tool that allows you to search for a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).
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BMI and body fat measurements are two methods you can use to assess your body weight and composition. While they can provide some useful baseline data, they should not be the main focus when it comes to improving your well-being.
Eating nourishing foods, staying hydrated, staying physically active, and caring for your mental wellness all play a critical role in shaping your journey to better health overall.