The optimal percentage of fat in the body of a man. The norm of fat in a woman's body: minimum and maximum indicators, ways to reduce body fat

14.10.2019

Nature has created man as an example of the ideal distribution of all the functions and capabilities of the body. But a decrease in the amount of physical labor, the use of unnatural food, sedentary image lives destroy this harmonious mechanism. An example of this is the increase in body fat content. Too thin fat layer is no less harmful. You will learn more about what is the normal percentage of fat and how to stabilize it in case of deviations.

Minimum percentage of body fat

The amount of fat in the human body is great importance, because fat performs a series important functions. This is:

protection of body organs;
maintaining a normal temperature;
preservation of nutrients;
softening of the joints;
energy storage.

To save good health and leading a full life in the female body should be at least 13-15% fat, and in men - at least 5-9%. There are no clear boundaries and requirements for the amount of fat, but below this threshold, processes of dysfunction of organs and tissues can begin in the body.

If a woman's weight is in this range, then she feels and looks good, and her reproductive organs are functioning normally.

Fat in the female body contributes to the synthesis of female hormones, normal functioning reproductive organs, the correct menstrual cycle, bearing and giving birth to children.

The amount of fat for various reasons can increase with age. But the main reason is a decrease in physical activity.

There is no exact figure for the amount of fat in the body. There is a range within which each individual has its own value. It all depends on the characteristics of the organism. One person may have a higher body fat percentage than another of the same age and gender, but still feel more energetic and healthier.

It is important to ensure that this amount does not exceed the upper limit of normal.

With weight loss within these limits, some women experience cycle irregularities. This means that the weight has fallen below the limits of the individual norm for this woman.

Age norms:

It is important to ensure that the amount of fat does not fall below normal. Strong weight loss harms not only a woman, but also a man.

With a normal physique, fat in the female body is located in the hips, waist, sides, chest. If fat accumulates in the shoulders, arms, patella and shins, then this indicates a metabolic disorder, malfunctions of the hormonal system, and a tendency to edema. Therefore, this is an occasion to consult a doctor.

In men, fat levels are also important. Many systems depend on it. male body, including reproductive and digestive. Men have other duties and functions: a worker, a breadwinner, a protector. They have a more active life and a faster lipid metabolism. Therefore, it is much easier for them to lose weight.

Fat in men is normally evenly distributed throughout the body. Its accumulation in the abdomen indicates violations in gastrointestinal tract. Fat in the sides, chest, hips indicates a metabolic disorder, an increased content of female hormones and an unhealthy diet.

Why is visceral fat dangerous?

There are two types of fat stored in the body:

subcutaneous (visible);
visceral (internal).

Subcutaneous fat is located close to the surface of the body. It can be seen and felt.

All organs and cavities in the body are covered with a special film, the functions of which are varied. Visceral fat grows inside this shell, covering all organs. It is impossible to see him. Its presence can be determined by the violation of the proportions of the body.

First of all, the person's stomach begins to protrude forward. Other parts of the body may not change.
The causes of visceral fat inside the body can be:

unhealthy diet;
no movement and physical activity;
bad habits.

Visceral fat is not age feature organism. In recent decades, young people and even children have all the signs of excess internal fat. And this leads to big problems with health.

The complete absence of visceral fat is also dangerous for the body, because it covers the internal organs from external influences and injuries. But it should not be more than 15% of total body fat.

A sure sign that the amount of visceral fat is increasing, and it is time to take action, is an increase in the size of the abdomen. This type of fat causes serious problems:

varicose veins of the lower extremities;
changes in hormonal balance and metabolism;
heart failure, heart attacks;
diabetes mellitus type 2.

Fat in the liver is processed and converted into cholesterol, which goes into the blood vessels and is deposited on their walls. A person develops atherosclerosis.

Exceeding the norm of visceral fat can be determined by measuring the waist circumference. If the waist in women is more than 80 cm, and in men - 90-95 cm, then it's time to sound the alarm.

How to measure body fat percentage

In clinics and health centers, you can measure the amount of fat using special devices and techniques. At home, there are several methods:

Visual. Having undressed to underwear, you need to examine your body in the mirror. Usually everyone who has excess weight are well aware of this. Therefore, this method will help if a person decides to improve his body. In the mirror, you can identify areas and areas that need to be worked on.
Clothing. By trying on clothes, you can see if a person has lost weight or gained weight.

These methods will not help determine the percentage of body fat. If you need exact numbers, then you should purchase a small device called a caliper. It is sold in a pharmacy and is quite cheap.

With the help of a caliper, the thickness of the body folds is measured in different areas. How to take measurements? You need a helper because you can't do it alone.

The principle of operation of the caliper is the same as that of the caliper. Therefore, you can take measurements using one of these tools and a centimeter tape.

There are usually no problems with these devices. It is necessary to determine at what points measurements should be taken.

Triceps. The back of the arm between the elbow and shoulder. Vertical pleat in the center.
Biceps. Exactly the same fold as in the previous case, but in the front of the arm.
Blade area. Grab the crease just below one shoulder blade from the spine down to the side of the body at an angle of 45 degrees.
The area below the waist is slightly above the ledge pelvic bone at a slight angle.

Data must be recorded in millimeters on the caliper scale. Add all 4 values \u200b\u200band find the percentage of fat in the table.

How to reduce the percentage of fat in the body?

If you want to lose weight, you need to reduce not the weight, but the amount of fat. Do not starve and reduce the amount of food consumed. In this case, the body will eat muscle, and leave fat in reserve.
Strict diets and hunger strikes injure the psyche. And they end with a breakdown, overeating and a decrease in self-esteem.
Therefore, it is necessary not to reduce the quantity of food, but to change its quality. In this case, a shake-up of metabolism occurs: the body learns to burn more calories. Keeping the number of calories at the same level, it is necessary to gradually change the "bad" calories to useful ones.

In an ordinary person, the diet usually suffers from a lack of proteins, and fats and carbohydrates in excess. What should be done?

Increase the amount of proteins in the diet, because they are the main material for muscles.
Reduce the amount of "bad" carbohydrates: baked goods, sweets, sugar. Instead of them - cereals and pasta.
Refuse sausages and semi-finished products with great content chemical additives and trans fats. Instead of them - poultry, beef, fish.
Dress salads only with vegetable oil.
Avoid fried foods.
Divide the entire diet into 5 doses. This contributes to better digestion of food and accelerates metabolism.
Drink more water.
Make up for the lack of sweets with dried fruits.

After two weeks of such nutrition, the first results should appear. If there are no results, or they are not as desirable, then you need to again reduce the amount of fats and carbohydrates without touching the proteins. Fatty foods change to low fat. There are only egg whites, red meat is replaced with white. And gradually reduce the amount of carbohydrates consumed: gradually 10-15 g per day.

Physical exercise

You can join the gym and do strength exercises under the guidance of a trainer.

Do your own cardio workouts. Any physical activity to strengthen the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

You can train yourself both in nature and at home. Very popular Treadmill and exercise bike. Or simply various exercises recorded on discs.

You need to buy a heart rate monitor and monitor your heart rate during workouts. There is a maximum heart rate. For men it is 220 minus age, for women it is 214 minus age.

During training, you must ensure that the pulse is not higher than this number, otherwise heart problems begin.

There are some very effective exercises:

Pylometric push-ups

Take an emphasis lying, as with ordinary push-ups.
Lower the body to the floor, then sharply raise it.
In this case, the hands come off the floor and make a clap.
You need to have time to land on the palm of your hands.

Saw

The starting position is the same.
The weight is transferred to the elbows.
Straighten your lower back, crawl back, pushing only with your hands.

plank

Lie down on your forearms.
Maintain this position for 20-60 seconds.

burpee

Squat down with your hands on the floor.
Quickly go to the lying position and return to the starting position.

Walking on hands

Get on all fours.
Crawl forward on your toes.
Then back.
The body does not bend.

Walking up the stairs helps a lot. It can be supplemented with simultaneous hand exercises with dumbbells.

Walking

The most acceptable way to lose weight is walking. It does not require any special conditions or long workouts. You can start with small walks, gradually increasing their duration.

Another convenience: the way to work or part of the way can be walked. Some people even manage to work while walking: thinking about new projects, writing articles, making phone calls and making deals.

You can talk to your parents and friends on the phone. After all, most people in the bustle do not have enough time for this. Can walk the dog

You can also learn about the norms of fat in the following video:

Body fat is both friend and foe. You need to be able to determine when it turns into a problem for the body. Having learned to determine the percentage of fat in the body, it is not difficult to find ways to bring it back to normal.

A well-balanced diet along with physical activity are the first and main steps along the way.

Do not run yourself and your body. This is not only an aesthetic problem. Excess weight causes serious disorders in the body.

But there is no need to go to the other extreme either. Because a lack of body fat can also be dangerous.

In contact with

What is your percentage of body fat? Why do you need to know this at all?
We all know that in order to look better and be healthy, you need to avoid fat in your diet and move a lot to burn excess fat. body fat(ballast).
And how to estimate the amount that we already have?
Is it a lot or a little?
Bodybuilders, for example, compete at about 5% body fat.
How much do we have? 10-15?
And how much is needed?
We tell...

This is the part of the body that is represented by fat. For example, if you weigh 70 kg and you have 7 kg of fat, then the percentage is 10.

Everything is simple.

This means that the fat content is a constantly changing number. Fluctuates when you gain or lose weight, when you gain or lose muscle.

For example, if both and weight increase from 70 to 80 kg, and at the same time gain 3 kg of fat, then the new indicator will be 8%. If after that you stop training for a year, and lose, for example, 5 kg of muscle, then the fat content in the body will be 7.5%.

So this figure is constantly changing when lifestyle changes.

Why body fat percentage is more important than BMI

Some people confuse body fat percentage with BMI, but they are two completely different things. BMI - body mass index, expresses the relationship between height and weight.
It is calculated by the formula: weight, kg / ((height, m) squared).

According to this formula, people with large muscles can fall into the category of "overweight". This is the main snag with BMI. It is very useful for analysis large groups population, but not particularly suitable for athletes (athletes). In this sense, the body fat percentage is much better.

Can body fat percentage be determined based on BMI?
No.

BMI is based on height and weight only. It can be high for a variety of reasons. And also it can be the same in a person with highly developed muscles and a low amount of adipose tissue and in a person with large quantity body fat and weak muscle development.

What percentage of body fat is considered normal for men and women

Although it is commonly regarded with hostility, human fat is not just a layer of disgusting, unnecessary flesh. It performs many vital functions in the body, including protecting organs from damage, maintaining body temperature, producing hormones, and other chemical substances and much more. That is why there is a limit to how much body fat can be burned without compromising health. Here are two charts for men and women:

Why such a difference?

In women, additional fat deposits are found in the breasts, thighs and buttocks.

Numerous studies have shown that the minimum percentage of fat in a man's body cannot be less than 4 - 5%, and in women - 10 -12%. This is explained as follows: when you become so “dry” to this extent, all that remains in the body is “vital” fat, which is contained in nerve cells, brain tissue, joints, palms of the hands and soles of the feet, in the membranes of organs such as the heart and intestines. Therefore, it is necessary to stay alive.
As soon as you get to such a percentage in the body, you literally on the edge of the abyss. Further fat burning can lead to cardiac arrest and loss of consciousness (coma). At the same time, the body defends itself and, instead of using fat, begins to destroy internal organs and muscles to produce energy. This is why many studies show that people who starved to death still had vital fatty tissue.

For clarity: this is what a man looks like with 4% and a woman with 10%. Horror.

If you're not a professional bodybuilder and don't know what you're doing, never try to push yourself into this. Hormonal disorders will begin, malfunctions of internal organs. If you avoid all this, then anyway, the process of returning to normal will be very long and difficult. Fortunately, most likely, like most people, you do not strive for this. You are quite "arranged" 7-10% for men and 13-20% for women. This is the percentage that is called "embossed".

(We share photos of famous athletes because a lot of research has been done on them. For example, we know that the best male athletes in most sports have a percentage of 6-10%, and women have a percentage of 13-20%).
Anyone can look like this with exercise, but it's very hard to keep that shape. long time. While this percentage of fatty tissue in the body is normal, there is no need to be so "dry" to remain healthy.

Another illustration is 15% male and 25% female:

As you can see, they look great and athletic.
But when the percentage of body fat rises above a healthy level, you begin to look clearly "overweight".
As in this photo:

How to Calculate Your Body Fat Percentage

Smart scales and weight loss monitor

Smart floor scales (body composition scales)
Weight loss monitor

These are the most simple ways. These instruments use a technique called bioimpedancemetry (BIA), which involves measuring the resistance of different parts of the body to an electrical current.

Muscles conduct electricity well because they are 70% water. Fat conducts electricity worse. The worse the body passes the current, the more fatty tissue it contains. This sounds pretty reasonable, but there are serious problems with BIA. When current passes through a body, it follows the path of least resistance. For example, through the fatty tissues of internal organs, and not subcutaneous.

Most of these devices contain two electrodes, so even large areas of the body are often ignored. For example, the scale may not take into account the entire upper body ( electricity will go from foot to foot). And hand-held devices will miss all lower part. This seriously distorts the results.
Another problem with bioimpedancemetry is that it uses mathematical equations that translate test scores into percentages of body fat.

Why are their formulas wrong? When companies create BIA meters, they use another imperfect method of measuring body fat percentage, such as hydrostatic weighing.

Some studies have shown that hydrostatic weighing itself can give an error of 6%, depending on the race, nationality of the person, etc. In other words, a person who has a 10% body content can get between 4-16% on hydrostatic weighing.

Many factors influence the results. If you conduct a study in a state of dehydration, you will get a very high result, due to reduced conductivity. And if you test after eating, you will get the opposite effect - too low indicators. Body conductivity is also better after exercise. Therefore, after conducting the test after physical exertion, incorrect, low results are obtained. This is why these devices are not suitable for correctly assessing body fat percentage.

How about acquiring one such device to track changes over time?

It also doesn't fit. These devices make mistakes every time in different ways. There is no clear pattern.

Calipers and skinfold thickness

Calipers are used to measure the thickness of the skin fold in different parts of the body. These measurements are substituted into the formula. As a result
And here there are shortcomings. If you grab too little skin, the readings will be too low, too much will be higher.

Photos and mirror

This is the easiest and most obvious way to assess body fat levels. People with the same percentage in the body look very similar if they have the same physique. However, if not, the same percentage of body fat can look very different in people with different body types.

For example, a 80 kg guy with 10% body fat has 8 kg of fat, while a 95 kg guy with the same percentage has only 1.5 kg more, but a little more muscle, which gives him a completely different look.

For the training athlete, the pictures below should help to approximate the percentage of body fat in the body.

For men:
For women:

Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA)

DXA (sometimes called DEXA) uses X-ray of the whole body. It is based on the fact that tissues containing and not containing fat absorb X-rays differently. Therefore, everything can be measured and calculated. Most people used to think that DXA was an error-free method, but numerous studies have shown that it can be wrong by 4-8, and sometimes 10%.

Causes of errors: different manufacturers devices, different algorithms used to interpret the data. Body size, dehydration status and some other factors also affect.

Plethysmography (Bod Pod)

A plethysmograph (Bod Pod) is a machine that works similar to hydrostatic weighing but uses air instead of water. Sit in a sealed capsule and the sensor measures how much air your body displaces (Archimedes' principle). Then, using mathematical formulas, this is all translated into the percentage of fatty tissues in the body. Unfortunately, the accuracy of the Bod Pod method is no better than all the previous ones. It is negatively affected by hair, humidity, body temperature and clothing.

The most accurate way to calculate body fat

It is called 4-component analysis. It includes several methods, dividing a person's body weight into four categories:

bone
muscle
fat masses

Hydrostatic weighing is used to measure the density of a body.
Deuterium dissolution is used to determine the amount of water in the body.
DXA is used to measure bone mass.

The results obtained are processed and calculated using various formulas. The result is always accurate readings of body fat percentage. This is interesting, but useless information for us. Because this method requires a whole team of scientists.

Fortunately, there is a method that deserves our attention.

How to Measure and Track Your Body Fat Percentage

Weigh yourself daily. Calculate the average for 7-10 days. If the average goes up, you gain weight. Therefore, weigh yourself every day in the morning after washing, before breakfast.
Take measurements with calipers once a week. If your skin gets thicker, you gain weight. If thinner - you lose body fat. In this sense, the use of calipers is very useful.
Measure waist circumference once a week. Waist size, measured at the level of the navel, is a reliable indicator of fat gain or loss.
Photo once a week. For most visitors gym, the main goal is how they look in the mirror. And when they look at themselves every day, they can lose motivation, because they do not notice the changes. Photos from the front, side and back solve this problem.

Using these methods, you will know exactly what is happening with the body and make changes to your diet and training programs.

Good luck!

Created on 03/18/2016

Many women, chasing perfect figure, sit on half-starved diets and rejoice at every kilogram that has gone. Their obsession is to lose weight, reduce body volume.

Here we will not talk about how to lose weight correctly. Consider the question of how to find out the percentage of fat and muscle mass in the body.

Do losing weight women think about what makes them lose weight? Often not. If you have lost a few kilograms and your body volume has decreased by several centimeters, this hated fat is not necessarily gone. Perhaps you lost weight due to the loss of water or muscle mass from the body. Therefore, it is useful to know how much fat is contained in the body, and how much muscle, and monitor changes in indicators. This will allow you to see what you need to work on: use intense training to lose fat or focus on strength training and nutrition for gaining muscle mass.

Our body is made up of different tissues. Scientific words - body composition.

There are various models that describe body composition:

two-component model- sum of fat mass and lean body mass

Body fat mass- the mass of all lipids in the body. Its content can vary widely.

Distinguish between essential fat, which is part of the protein-lipid complex of most body cells, and non-essential fat (triglycerides) in adipose tissues.

essential fat necessary for the normal metabolism of organs and tissues. In women, the relative content of essential fat is higher than in men. It is believed that the relative content of essential fat in the body is very stable and is for different people 2 to 5% lean body mass.

Non-essential fat performs the function of thermal insulation of internal organs. The content of non-essential fat increases with excess nutrition and decreases with insufficient nutrition.

The amount of adipose tissue in the body in different people can vary significantly and individually change throughout life. This may be due both to normal physiological changes in the process of growth and development of the organism, and to metabolic disorders. The average percentage of adipose tissue in the body of adults usually ranges from 10% to 20-30% of body weight.

Non-essential fat consists of subcutaneous and visceral fat. Subcutaneous fat is distributed relatively evenly along the surface of the body. Internal (visceral) fat is concentrated mainly in abdominal cavity. It has been established that the risk of developing cardiovascular and other diseases associated with overweight has a higher high connection with the content of internal, and not subcutaneous, fat. There is the concept of abdominal fat, which refers to the totality of internal and subcutaneous fat, localized in the abdomen.

Lean body mass- body weight excluding fat. The components of lean body mass are total body water, muscle mass, skeletal mass, and other components.

three-component models:

The amount of body fat common water body and lean body mass without fat

Sum of body fat mass, body mineral mass and soft tissue lean fraction

four-component models:

Sum of body fat mass, total body water, mineral body mass and residual mass

Sum of body fat mass, body cellular mass, extracellular fluid mass, and extracellular solids mass

five-level multicomponent model- the structure of the body is considered at the elemental, molecular, cellular, tissue levels and at the level of the organism as a whole

Determination of body composition is important in sports, nutrition, anesthesiology, resuscitation and intensive care. It is used in the treatment of anorexia, obesity, osteoporosis and some other diseases.

Coaches and sports physicians use body composition determination to optimize their training regimen during competition preparation. Studies of the strongest athletes made it possible to establish the optimal values of fat and muscle mass of the body. But uniform standards still do not exist and they vary depending on the sport, specific specialization and level of training of athletes.

Various methods are used to determine the composition of the human body. And there are a lot of formulas. We will not delve into and describe them all in detail, because research is carried out in laboratories and clinics by specialists and knowledge of all these subtleties is simply not necessary. Consider the simplest and most popular methods that allow you to calculate the percentage of adipose tissue and muscle mass of the body.

Caliperometry

It consists in measuring the thickness of skin-fat folds in certain areas of the body using special measuring devices - calipers.

Today there are a lot of various models calipers that differ from each other design features, measurement accuracy, application conditions, price and other indicators. The accuracy of determining the thickness of the folds with plastic calipers is usually lower than with metal ones.

All measurements are taken on the right side of the body. Holding the caliper in right hand, capture the skin-fat fold with the thumb and forefinger of the left hand, the distance between which, depending on the thickness of the fold, should be from 4 to 8 centimeters, and gently, without causing pain, lift the fold to a height of about 1 centimeter.

The caliper is placed perpendicular to the crease, with the measurement scale at the top. The working surfaces of the caliper are placed at a distance of 1 cm from the thumb and forefinger in the middle between the base and crest of the fold.

Carefully and completely release the pressure of the caliper arcs on the fold, then within 3-4 seconds, according to the scale readings, determine its thickness, maintaining the fold in an elevated position.

The fold must be taken quickly, because with prolonged compression due to an imbalance in the fluid in the surface areas of the body, it becomes thinner.

The skin in the measurement areas must be dry. It is not recommended to conduct an examination immediately after intense physical activity or overheating.

There are more than 100 formulas based on caliperometry for determining body composition. These formulas correspond to various schemes for selecting measurement sites.

The most popular schemes are:

For two folds: on the back of the shoulder and in the middle of the lower leg behind
Three folds: on the back of the shoulder, upper iliac and on the middle of the thigh at the back
Four folds: on the back of the shoulder, upper iliac, on the abdomen near the navel, in the middle of the thigh; or on the anterior and posterior surface of the shoulder, under the scapula, upper iliac
Seven folds: on the back of the shoulder, on the chest, axillary, under the shoulder blade, upper iliac, on the abdomen near the navel, in the middle of the thigh behind
Eight folds: under the shoulder blade, on the front of the shoulder, on the back of the shoulder, on the forearm, on the chest, on the abdomen near the navel, on the upper part of the thigh, on the upper part of the lower leg

How to take pleats

On the back of the shoulder- a vertical fold taken over the triceps muscle with the arm lowered and relaxed. It is taken on the midline of the posterior surface of the shoulder in the middle between the acromial and olecranon processes

On the front of the shoulder- a vertical fold taken over the biceps muscle in the middle between the acromial and olecranon processes, the arm is relaxed and located along the body

On the middle of the leg behind- vertical crease taken on the midline of the medial surface of the calf at the level of the maximum circumference.

Upper iliac fold- diagonal fold, taken directly above the iliac crest, along its natural line.

Mid thigh at the back- vertical fold, taken from behind over the quadriceps muscle in the middle of the thigh of the right leg (measured in a standing position; the center of gravity is shifted to the left leg, right leg relaxed).

On the stomach near the navel- a vertical fold, which is taken at the level of the navel on the right at a distance of 2 centimeters from it.

Under the shoulder blade- diagonal fold (from top to bottom, from inside to outside), located at an angle of 45 degrees at a distance of 2 centimeters down from the lower angle of the scapula

On the chest- diagonal fold (from top to bottom, outside inward), taken in the middle between the anterior axillary line and the nipple (for women, 1/3 of the distance)

axillary- vertical fold taken on the midaxillary line at the level of the xiphoid process of the sternum

Forearm- a vertical crease on the anterior surface of the forearm at its widest point

On the top of the thigh- taken in a sitting position on a chair, legs bent at the knees at a right angle. The fold is measured in the upper part of the right thigh on the anterolateral surface parallel to the course of the inguinal fold, slightly below it.

On the top of the leg- The crease is measured in the same position as on the upper thigh. It is taken almost vertically on the posterolateral surface of the upper part of the right leg, at the level of the lower angle of the popliteal fossa

How to Calculate Fat Percentage

Of the many formulas, the most popular is the Matejka formula, which is used to age groups over 16 years old. The formula for determining the mass of adipose tissue in the body (BAT) is

where d is the average thickness of the subcutaneous fat layer together with the skin (mm), S is the surface area of the body (m 2), k = 1.3.

For women, the value of d is calculated as follows:

Add up the thickness of the seven skin-fat folds in millimeters (on the biceps, triceps, forearm, back, abdomen, thigh and lower leg). Divide the resulting amount by 14.

The surface area of the body is determined by the Dubois formula:

For women (20-60 years old) with a high relative body fat content, the formula is:

The girth of the abdomen is measured at the level of the navel at the time of the pause between inhalation and exhalation.

Surely, many will find it difficult to understand the terms of body structure used above and where to measure the folds. And it will be difficult to make calculations. Then you can use the easier method.

Wrinkles can be measured at 4 points:

on triceps about the same distance from the shoulder and elbow joints

on the bicep, similarly as on the triceps, on the opposite side of the arm

on the shoulder blade the fold is pinched just below it at an angle of 45 degrees to the vertical so that the fold is directed along the line connecting cervical vertebrae and sides

at the waist near the navel where is the most fat

All results (in millimeters) are added together. The percentage of fat is calculated according to the following table:

It contains data for women. For different ages different indicators. This is due to the fact that with age inevitably increases the amount of fat inside the muscles and in the abdominal cavity around the internal organs. When measured correctly, this method is 97-98% accurate.

Below you can see what the figure of women with different percentages of fat looks like.

How to calculate the percentage of muscle mass

To calculate muscle mass, the most reliable and common way is the Matejka formula. First you need to make the following measurements.

It is necessary to measure the thickness of the fold with a caliper or caliper:

on the front of the shoulder (biceps)
on the back of the shoulder (triceps)
on the forearm
on the thigh in front
on the lower leg

With a measuring tape, you need to measure the girth:

shoulder
forearms
hips
shins

Formula for determining skeletal muscle mass (SMM)

where DT - height (m), k=6.5, r - the average value of the circumference of the shoulder, forearm, thigh and lower leg without subcutaneous fat and skin, determined by the formula

Shoulder girth is measured in a calm state in place greatest development; forearm girth - in the place of the greatest development of muscles on a freely hanging arm, the muscles are relaxed; leg girth - in the place of greatest development calf muscle; thigh girth is measured under the gluteal crease, body weight is evenly distributed on both legs, located shoulder-width apart. Pleats are defined in the same position and places as girths.

To calculate muscle mass as a percentage, divide muscle mass by weight in kilograms and multiply by 100.

Bioimpedance analysis

Based on significant differences in the electrical conductivity of adipose tissue and lean body mass. The main conductors of electric current in the body are tissues with a high water content and electrolytes dissolved in it. Fat and bones have lower electrical conductivity.

Measurements are made using instruments with a built-in software. They differ in the AC frequency (or set of frequencies) used, the parameters measured, recommended electrode patterns, and built-in body composition formulas.

Inexpensive single-frequency devices are used to control body fat and musculoskeletal mass. More expensive dual-frequency and multi-frequency bioimpedance analyzers are used mainly in clinical medicine and scientific research.

A more accurate assessment of body composition can be obtained using devices that work according to the scheme of applying electrodes to the lower leg and wrist.

They produce manual bioimpedance fat analyzers that take information from the shoulder girdle. There are floor scales that can be used at home. It is on such scales that we will focus our attention.

When you step on the scale, a small electrical current travels up one leg, through your pelvis, and then down the other leg. Since muscles contain more water, they conduct electricity better than fat. Thus, the more resistance, the more fat in your body. To calculate the percentage of fat mass and muscle, formulas are used based on the speed of the electrical signal and other data that you enter: height, age, gender. Height must be entered with an accuracy of 1 centimeter. The results obtained are checked against the tables that are in the instructions for the scales. These tables indicate the age and norms of the content of muscle tissue, fat and water in the body.

Of course, such scales are convenient to use, but they do not give accurate results. Research has shown that the most best scales give an accuracy of only 80%. With their help, you can only approximately assess whether your body composition meets established standards. Factors such as body type, elevated body temperature, hydration, recent exercise, and last meal can affect results. Even wet or sweaty feet, as well as large calluses on the feet, can skew the results. Determined that different scales give different indications. Such devices may be less accurate for the elderly, physically fit people, children, and people with osteoporosis. Also, some other diseases affect the accuracy - including muscular dystrophy, polio, cirrhosis of the liver, heart failure. In addition, these scales can overestimate the percentage of body fat in thin people and underestimate it in overweight people. This scale is not recommended for use by pregnant women or if there are electrical implants such as a pacemaker or defibrillator.

The scales must be placed on a flat floor, and when weighing, stand straight and do not move (you can see the result after weighing in the memory of the scales). Weigh yourself at the same time of day better in the morning on an empty stomach some time after waking up and going to the toilet), do not do this immediately after training and weigh yourself in a room with a stable temperature.

There are no common standards for perfect percentage fat and muscle tissue in the body. It depends on age, gender, physical fitness and ethnicity.

According to some experts, the "healthy" body fat range is 23 to 33 percent for middle-aged women and up to 35 percent for older women. Athletes tend to have much less body fat. The lower mark for the fat content in the female body is 10%. In an effort to burn fat as much as possible, remember that too little adipose tissue in the body can lead to health problems.

For women, the average muscle mass is 36%.

Anyone who is even slightly interested in a healthy way life and weight loss knows that a big role for appearance plays exactly percentage of body fat. The fashion for a magnificent figure has long passed, and by modern standards, beauty lies in a slender, toned, athletic body. Accordingly, the lower its percentage in the body, the more aesthetically pleasing a person looks.

But here, too, there are norms, neglecting which you risk getting obesity or anorexia instead of beauty. Also, the content of fats in the body within the normal range is extremely important for health. Deviations in one direction or another can lead to disastrous consequences, sometimes even irreparable. The fat layer is gained not only on muscle tissues, but also on internal organs, which is especially dangerous. You've probably heard the term "visceral fat". So what is the optimal body fat content? How to properly reduce its percentage and not harm health? Where is the line between beautiful slenderness and excessive thinness, and where is the "take" the desired relief? To understand how to determine the percentage of body fat, read the information below to find out the answers to the questions.

If you are overweight and you can see with the naked eye that the percentage of fat is above the norm, then you do not need accurate measurements. They are necessary for athletes who carefully control their nutrition and exercise. It is difficult for them to determine something “by eye”.

There are many methods for determining its percentage in the body, but, unfortunately, not all of them are accurate:

caliper - a specialized device with a scale - has a high error;
x-ray - minimal deviations;
special scales and other gadgets - an error of about 6% (strongly depends on the current state of the body);
bioelectrical resistance - there is also an error;
"by eye" - the error is large, but the method is the simplest and most common.

Let's take a closer look at each. The caliper measures the thickness of the skin on the fat fold. Measurements are taken at multiple locations, and then the results are summed up and applied to multiple equations. Cons of this method: the equations are not accurate initially, clamping less skin you will get an underestimated result, and holding more, respectively, overestimated. So it will not work to calculate the correct coefficient. X-ray has a smaller error than the previous method, but still not accurate, this has already been proven by a number of studies. Moreover, a lot depends on the device itself, body condition, gender, weight and many other factors. The error ranges from 4 to 10%. The most accurate method for determining body fat percentage is the four-section analysis.

Here the body is conditionally divided into four components:

bones;
water;
muscles;
adipose tissues.

All this is individually “weighed”, and the results go through a special formula. This method will help to reliably calculate the percentage of body fat for women and men. Judging "by eye", in a relief body there is about 10% fat, when in a slender, without relief it is already up to 20%. Well, if there is obesity of any stage - there is no less than 50%.

Practical advice: When determining the percentage in this way, you need to remember the role of muscle mass. The same indicator will be for the "rolling" and thin. The difference is only in the relief.

body fat calculator

Result: There is approximately fat (or) in your body.

What is the minimum body fat percentage

It is completely impossible to get rid of the fat layer, since it is also necessary for the normal functioning of the body.

Please note: For men, the minimum content is 5%, for women - 13%. If the percentage is below normal, failure of the internal organs will follow.

There is such a case in history. A bodybuilder who overdid it with getting rid of fat has died. A small part of the fat is and should be in all human organs and systems.

In addition to it, there are 2 more types:

subcutaneous;
visceral.

The latter accumulates on the internal organs and it is more difficult to get rid of it. A small amount of fat is provided for the normal functioning of the body, but its excess leads to many serious diseases.

Expert opinion

Smirnov Viktor Petrovich
Nutritionist, Samara

It is known that without fat life is impossible. And therefore, you should not spend all the time on the fight against excess fat. Even in aesthetic terms, a harmoniously developed figure is not one in which knotty muscles intertwined with a protruding venous network, but with pronounced, but smooth lines. In the process of losing weight, both men and women need to take into account the characteristics of the body and, first of all, pay attention to them. So, it is necessary to understand what type of physique a person belongs to: normosthenic, asthenic or hypersthenic. At different types weight loss starts differently. In addition, you should not pay attention to where the fat leaves. It almost always happens that a person wants to first lose weight on the stomach, and the neck or buttocks begin to lose weight. The body itself knows where it will utilize the excess energy supply from, and therefore you should not get upset and interfere with the natural process.

Normal (healthy) body fat percentage

Completeness cannot be healthy by definition. At World Organization health care has a table that indicates a healthy percentage of body fat.

Men
Age	Short %	Healthy %	Tall %	Obesity
20-40 years old	Below 8	9-19%	20-25	Above 25
41-60 years old	Below 11	12-22%	23-27	Above 27
61-79 years old	Below 13	14-25%	26-30	Above 30
Women
Age	Short %	Healthy %	Tall %	Obesity
20-40 years old	Below 21	21-33%	33-39	Above 39
41-60 years old	Below 23	23-35%	35-40	Above 40
61-79 years old	Below 24	24-36%	36-42	Above 42

As mentioned earlier, a low content of subcutaneous (and not only) fiber leads to death, and a high content leads to many diseases. There is a norm of body fat content and it should be adhered to.

Visceral fat

For a long time, the accumulation of visceral fat in adults was attributed to genetics - predisposition and so on. But scientists nevertheless proved that a fat aunt is not to blame for your fullness. The content of visceral fat increases along with subcutaneous fat, and genetics has nothing to do with it.

It becomes harmful when contained:

in men from 20%;
in women from 40%.

Decreased percentage of body fat

Losing weight is a difficult task, but doable. In the first pair, kilograms go faster than the last. At first glance, everything is simple - you need to eat less (kcal) than you spend. So the body begins to take energy from fat reserves, burning them. But the slimmer you become, the harder it is to get rid of a couple of extra pounds.

Please note: The greater the initial body weight (fat), the faster it goes away from the first weeks of training. Further more difficult. As fat mass decreases, more and more efforts are required to achieve the next result.

For example, the initial weight is 100 kg. For the first month of training and proper nutrition you can lose 5-10 kg. For the second month, 3-7 kg are spent with the same loads, and so on. Therefore, you need to increase the load as the weight decreases. With the choice of the correct initial and further exercises, an experienced trainer can help, and it is better to contact a nutritionist for the selection of a diet. The percentage of body fat in both weight loss and professional sports is more important than the calculation of BMI (body mass index). The latter shows only the ratio of height and weight, there are even calculators for calculating it. But for a full assessment physical development This is not enough.

What to do to get the desired relief

When losing weight, it is important not only to get rid of fat, but also to achieve firmness and relief of muscles, albeit not very pronounced. Below are recommendations on what to do and what not to do every day to move from one "fat category" to another.

% fat in men	% body fat in women	What to do	Restrictions
From 20	From 30	To dial: there are semi-finished products; large portions; eat food quickly	Lead a sedentary lifestyle; eat few fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods; do not follow the balance of the diet; sleep as little as possible.
15-20	25-30	+2 servings of food with a lot of protein per day; + 2 small portions of vegetables; training or active classes 3-5 times a week	Reduce the amount of (slightly) processed carbohydrates; consume a little less high-calorie drinks.
13-15	23-25	Add protein to 2-3 meals per day; +3 servings of vegetables per day; activity for 45 minutes a day; 1-2 workouts per week; sleep from 7 hours a day; fight stress.	Desserts up to 3-5 times a week; drinks with a lot of calories 3-5 times a week.
10 - 12	20-22	Complete control of your diet; protein and vegetables daily for 1 serving; + a small amount fatty acids omega 3; + some processed carbohydrates; 50 minutes of activity every day; 4 workouts per week; sleep for at least 8 hours; fight stress.	Desserts no more than 1-2 times a week; 1-2 high-calorie drinks per week, no more.
6 - 9	16 - 19	Full power control; + protein, vegetables, healthy fats; calorie/carbohydrate cycling; activity 75 minutes every day; 4-5 workouts per week; sleep 8-9 hours; fight stress.	Carbohydrates only on special days; desserts up to 2 times a week; up to 1 high-calorie drink per week; restaurants up to 2 times a week.

A normal percentage of fat requires constant maintenance: proper nutrition, physical activity. Above normal values can lead to a variety of diseases, including diabetes, problems with the heart muscle and the whole vascular system, joint diseases and so on. The list of possible complications is too long.

Important! An underestimated percentage of fat is also considered a disease - anorexia. And it can end in death.

With the current low body fat content, it takes a lot of effort to maintain it. The greater the initial weight, the easier the fat deposits go. The less fat becomes, the more difficult it begins to leave. It is important to monitor nutrition and activity - a sedentary lifestyle and eating fast food only contribute to the accumulation of unnecessary and dangerous body fat.

Determining body fat percentage is the only exact way performance evaluation or . At the same time, the “usual” figure on the scales and the weight in kilograms can distort the real situation, since, for example, during the period of weight loss, the body tends to replace part of the lost fat with water.

Calculating the percentage of body fat is simple - for this you need to divide the fat mass in the body by the total weight. For example, if you have 10 kg of fat with total weight at 70 kg, then the percentage of fat will be 10/70 = 14.3%. However, the key difficulty is that you need to know exactly how much fat you have.

Ideal Fat Level

For men, 6-13% fat means a toned athletic physique and a fairly sculpted press, 14-17% means good physical shape with a small amount of fat reserves in problem areas, 18-25% means middle level forms, above 25% - obesity.

For girls, the figures for the level of fat in the body are slightly higher - an athletic physique is characterized by 14-20%, a good physical shape - 21-24%, an average level of fat - 25-31%. It should also be noted that a fat level below 10% is quite dangerous for female body and leads to the cessation of the menstrual cycle.

Electronic body analysis systems

The action of electronic systems for analyzing body composition and determining the percentage of body fat is based on passing extremely weak and safe electric currents through tissues and then analyzing the speed of passage and the percentage of signal loss. Adipose tissue delays the signal, while water and muscles conduct it almost entirely.

In fact, this method does not determine the percentage of fat in your body, but only compares the indicators with the average numbers stored in the device’s memory and shows an approximate result. The final error depends both on the number of measuring electrodes, and on body temperature, the presence of food in the stomach, and other factors.

Floor scales for body composition analysis

Floor scales with body composition analysis function are one of the least accurate methods for measuring body fat. By sending a weak current through one leg, the balance “waits” for it on the other and determines the percentage of losses. Unfortunately, the resulting loss of signal can be caused by many reasons, and not at all by the actual composition of the body.

It is also interesting that many similar scales (both expensive and cheap) record the results of the last weighing in memory - after re-measuring after a few minutes, they only give out the old figure. Since the value of the percentage of body fat does not change, the person mistakenly believes that the scales have determined it accurately. This is the intention of the manufacturer.

The most accurate electronic scales

Unfortunately, most electronic scales for determining the level of body fat show an extremely inaccurate figure - in some cases, the result may differ from the real one at times. The only reliable way to use electronic scales will be to follow the trend - let the number lie, but it is important to increase or decrease over time.

The presence of additional handles significantly reduces the error and allows you to determine the fat content in the body more accurately - however, such scales are much more expensive than usual ones. The price of professional scales of the Tanita brand can reach up to 200 thousand rubles, and home models from this brand cannot cost less than 15-20 thousand rubles.

Measuring fat with a caliper

The most simple and accessible method determining body fat is to measure the subcutaneous fat fold with a caliper-like device (“caliper”) and compare the result with a calculation table. This table contains a comparison of the thickness of the fat fold in millimeters and the approximate percentage of body fat.

Although caliper measurements are more accurate than measurements with simple electronic scales with a body analysis function, this method does not take into account the presence at all. But, again, for assessing the progress of a fat burning diet or when training for cutting, a home measurement of fat levels with a caliper is the easiest.

How to measure body fat with a caliper?

The measurement technique for determining the level of fat using a caliper is simple - you need to stand up straight, determine a point 10 cm to the right of the navel at a height of 3-4 cm from the edge of the protruding femur, then pinch the skin and fat in this place, and then measure the thickness of this clamping with a caliper (or, in its absence, with a caliper).

The measurement result in millimeters and your age is compared with the table below - at the intersection is a figure showing the predicted fat content in your body. The table also shows if this indicator is in the high, medium or low zone. As FitSeven wrote above, these data are different for men and women.

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To calculate the percentage of fat in the body, you first need to determine the physical mass of fat reserves in the body. The only direct method for determining this figure is weighing in a special bath (this method is used in sports), and all other methods are indirect and may contain a significant measurement error.