Ideal Body Fat Percentage by Age and Sex
There is no single ideal body fat percentage: the healthy range depends on your age and sex. One study puts the body fat that matches a healthy BMI at about 21% to 36% for women and 8% to 25% for men across ages 20 to 79, rising a little with age (Gallagher and colleagues, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2000).
This article is general information, not medical advice. Body fat ranges are a guide, not a target, and outcomes vary between individuals.
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Body Fat Percentage Ranges by Age and Sex
These ranges match a healthy BMI of 18.5 to 24.9.
| Age | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| 20 to 39 | 21% to 33% | 8% to 20% |
| 40 to 59 | 23% to 34% | 11% to 22% |
| 60 to 79 | 24% to 36% | 13% to 25% |
The ranges come from a study that measured body fat in white and African American adults in the United States and the United Kingdom, then worked out the body fat that matches each BMI band. The authors called the ranges provisional, and said no accepted body fat ranges existed at the time. Ranges for Asian adults in the same study sat higher (see below). These are healthy ranges linked to BMI, not population averages. The figure below adds the body fat levels the same study matched to overweight and obesity.
Women's ranges sit about 11 to 13 points above men's at every age.
What Your Body Fat Percentage Tells You
Body fat percentage is the share of your body weight that is fat. It is normal for the body to store energy as fat, but too much or too little body fat can increase your risk of illness, depending on where your body stores it. Where fat sits matters more for health risk than how much there is. Fat around the waist, including visceral fat around the organs, carries more risk than fat on the hips and buttocks. For this reason, waist size is thought to be a better predictor of health risk than BMI (Better Health Channel).
Why the Ranges Change With Age and Sex
Age. People tend to put on fat as they age, partly because the body slowly loses muscle. Being less active is probably a bigger part of that than ageing itself, and strength and resistance training can reduce or prevent the muscle loss (Better Health Channel). At the same BMI, an older person carries more body fat than a younger one.
Sex. Females generally have less muscle mass and more fat mass than males (University of Sydney). In the study behind the table, every range for women sits higher than the matching range for men.
Ethnic background. Asian and Indian people, for example, have more body fat at any given BMI than people of European descent (Better Health Channel). In the same 2000 study, the ranges for Asian adults, measured in Japan, sat higher: about 25% to 35% for women and 13% to 23% for men aged 20 to 39, with similar figures at older ages.
Body Fat Percentage vs BMI
BMI is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in metres squared. It is a guide to estimate your total body fat as a share of your body weight.
However, BMI cannot tell fat from muscle. It is less accurate for some high-performance athletes, body builders, pregnant women and people with a physical disability. It is also less accurate for some ethnic groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Pacific Islander, Māori, South Asian, Chinese and Japanese people. Both BMI and waist circumference can be used to get an idea of your chance of developing some health issues (healthdirect).
Ways to Measure Body Fat
| Method | What it shows | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| DXA scan | Fat, muscle and bone, in detail | The most accurate tool, and not cheap |
| Smart scales | An estimate of fat and muscle | Accuracy is questionable |
| Skinfold callipers | Fat estimated from skin folds | Taken at sites such as the abdomen |
| Waist measure | Fat around the middle | Less reliable with overweight or obesity |
| Waist-to-height ratio | Waist compared with height | Aim for a waist under half your height |
| BMI | Weight for height | Cannot tell fat from muscle |
A DXA scan is an enhanced form of X-ray that measures body fat, muscle and bone, and it is mainly used in medicine and research (University of Sydney). Skinfold tests use callipers at set sites such as the abdomen and the back of the upper arm (Charles Sturt University).
For most people, a tape measure is the simplest check. Measure halfway between your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone, roughly in line with your belly button, and breathe out normally first (healthdirect). Risk increases at a waist of 80 cm or more for women and 94 cm or more for men, and rises further at 88 cm and 102 cm. These cut-offs do not apply in pregnancy or to people from some non-European backgrounds.
How to Lower Your Body Fat
You cannot choose where fat comes off, as our guide on how to lose belly fat explains, but overall body fat can come down with a few steady habits. For the full plan, read our realistic guide on how to lose weight.
Eat a healthy diet with an energy gap. When intake falls below what your body uses, the body draws on stored energy, mostly fat. Build meals on vegetables and legumes, fruit, wholegrains, lean protein and reduced-fat dairy, and limit foods high in saturated fat, added sugar and salt (Australian Dietary Guidelines). To set your own target, read what a calorie deficit is and how to work out yours and how many calories a day you need to lose weight.
Keep up regular physical activity. Australia's guidelines for adults recommend moderate to vigorous activity for 30 minutes or more on most days, plus muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week. For ideas, see the best exercises for belly fat and how many steps a day can support weight loss.
Combine the two. Pair exercise, especially weight-bearing and resistance exercise, with healthier eating rather than relying on eating less alone, because eating too few kilojoules encourages the body to slow its metabolism to conserve energy. Lean muscle largely sets how much energy your body uses at rest, so it helps to keep it while losing weight. To check your meals carry enough protein, see how to calculate macros for weight loss.
Track your waist as well as your weight. Waist size says more about health risk than weight alone. To put a number on your progress, see how to calculate your weight loss percentage. If your weight stops moving, read why you may not be losing weight in a calorie deficit and what to do about a weight loss plateau.
When to Talk to a Doctor
If you are concerned that you carry too much fat around your middle, talk to your doctor. For many people, reaching a healthy BMI is unrealistic, but losing as little as 5% of body weight can bring health benefits, such as a lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes (healthdirect). Results vary between individuals.
Some people living with overweight or obesity may need a more intensive approach, such as a very low energy diet or weight loss medication, alongside a healthy diet and physical activity. Any treatment is a decision for a registered doctor or nurse practitioner after an individual assessment. To learn more, read how medical weight loss programs work.
If your body fat percentage, BMI and waist size all sit above the healthy range, Burst Health provides medical weight loss plans online, reviewed by an Australian-registered doctor or nurse practitioner: check whether you are eligible.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should my body fat percentage be for my age?
It depends on your age and sex, as the table above shows. For both women and men, the healthy range rises by a few points between ages 20 and 79, and women's ranges sit higher than men's at every age. The ranges are guides, not targets, and your doctor may weigh other measures too, such as your waist size.
Is 20% body fat considered high?
No, not for most adults. For women, 20% sits below the guide range at every age (which starts at 21% to 24%), at the level the same study matched to a BMI under 18.5. For men, 20% is at the top of the range for ages 20 to 39 and inside it from 40 onwards. Where the fat sits also matters.
Is 30% body fat high?
It depends on your sex. For women, 30% is inside the guide range at every age from 20 to 79. For men, 30% is above the range at every age, and at or above the level that the same study matched to a BMI of 30, which is the obesity range. A GP can help you look at the full picture.
Is 10% body fat healthy?
For many men aged 20 to 39 it is, because 10% sits inside the guide range for that age. It is below the range for men aged 40 and over, and far below it for women of any age. Too little body fat can increase your risk of illness too, so a very low reading is worth discussing with a GP.
How can I check my body fat percentage at home?
Home smart scales give an estimate of your body fat percentage, but researchers who tested them found large errors in their readings (University of Sydney). A waist measurement does not give a percentage, but it is a simple home check of fat around the middle, with risk cut-offs for women and men (see Ways to Measure Body Fat above).
Medical weight loss plans, online
In three steps.
- 1Answer a quick questionnaireOnline, no appointment, no in-person visit.
- 2A practitioner reviews itAn Australian-registered doctor or nurse practitioner decides whether treatment is suitable for you.
- 3Start your planIf treatment is suitable, you start your plan with the practitioner supporting you throughout.
References
Better Health Channel (Victorian Government). Body mass index (BMI).
healthdirect. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference.
healthdirect. How to reduce excess internal body fat (visceral fat).
Eat for Health (NHMRC). Australian dietary guidelines 1 - 5.
This article is general information only and does not replace individual medical advice. Please speak with a registered Australian healthcare practitioner about your own circumstances.