Body Fat Percentage

What is body fat percentage, how do you measure it and what is a healthy range.

The amount of body fat you carry, your body fat percentage, makes a difference to your body shape and your health. Our chart below shows how much body fat is healthy.

Your shape is affected by body fat percentage because muscle tissue is more compact than fat - a balloon containing 1lb of muscle tissue would be smaller than a balloon containing 1lb of fat!

So a woman, 5' 6" tall weighing 140lbs (10 stone) who does regular muscle enhancing exercise, will have a lower body fat percentage, and look slimmer, than a woman of the same height and weight who doesn't exercise and therefore has a higher ratio of body fat.

Measuring changes in body fat percentage, rather than just measuring changes in weight, can be very motivational when you're dieting - especially if you are exercising as part of your Weight Loss regime.

How much body fat is healthy?