How to find out the percentage of adipose tissue in the body. How to calculate your ideal weight and body fat percentage. How to calculate body mass index from Lyle McDonald

Julia Weber

How to find out the percentage of fat and muscle in the body for a woman

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 properly. Consider the question of how to find out the percentage of fat and muscle mass in the body.

Do losing weight women think about how their weight is lost? Often not. If you have lost a few pounds and your body volume has decreased by a few centimeters, this is not necessarily the loss of the hated fat. You may have 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. In scientific words - body composition.

There are various models describing body composition:

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

Body fat- 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. Women have a higher proportion of essential fat than men. It is believed that the relative content of essential fat in the body is very stable and amounts to different people 2 to 5% of 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 over the course of life. This can be associated with both normal physiological changes in the process of growth and development of the body, and with metabolic disorders. The average percentage of adipose tissue in adults is usually between 10% and 20-30% of body weight.

Non-essential fat consists of subcutaneous and internal fat... Subcutaneous fat is distributed relatively evenly along the surface of the body. Internal (visceral) fat is concentrated mainly in abdominal cavity... It was found that the risk of developing cardiovascular and other diseases associated with overweight has a higher relationship with the content of internal, rather than subcutaneous, fat. There is a concept of abdominal fat, which is understood as a combination 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 constituents.

three-piece models:

The sum of body fat, total body water, and lean body mass without fat

The sum of body fat, mineral body mass and soft tissue fat-free fraction

four-piece models:

The sum of body fat mass, total body water, mineral body mass and residue mass

The sum of body fat mass, cell body mass, extracellular fluid mass and extracellular solid 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 essential in sports, nutrition, anesthesiology, resuscitation and intensive care. It is used in the treatment of anorexia, obesity, osteoporosis, and several other conditions.

Trainers and sports doctors use the determination of body composition in order to optimize the training regimen during preparation for the competition. Studies of the strongest athletes have made it possible to establish the optimal values of fat and muscle body mass. But there are still no uniform standards and they vary depending on the type of sport, specific specialization and the level of training of athletes.

Various methods are used to determine the composition of the human body. And there are a huge number 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 needed. Consider the simplest and most popular methods that allow you to calculate the percentage of adipose tissue and lean body mass.

Caliperometry

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

Today, a large number of different caliper models are produced, differing from each other. design features, measurement accuracy, conditions of use, price and other indicators. The accuracy of determining the thickness of folds with plastic calipers, as a rule, is lower than with metal ones.

All measurements are carried out on right side body. Holding the caliper in right hand, grab the skin and fat fold with the thumb and forefinger of the left hand, the distance between which, depending on the thickness of the fold, should be 4 to 8 centimeters, and gently, without causing painful sensation, raise the fold to a height of about 1 centimeter.

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

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

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

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

There are over 100 caliperometric formulas for body composition. These formulas correspond to various schemes for the selection of measurement sites.

The most popular are the following schemes:

In two folds: on the back surface shoulder and in the middle of the lower leg at the back
Three folds: on the back of the shoulder, upper iliac and in the middle of the thigh behind
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 front and back of the shoulder, under the scapula, upper iliac
Seven folds: on the back of the shoulder, on the chest, axillary, under the scapula, 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 thigh, on the upper leg

How to remove folds

On the back of the shoulder- a vertical fold taken over the triceps muscle with the arm lowered and relaxed. Taken on midline the back of the shoulder midway between the acromial and olecranon processes

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

In the middle of the lower leg from the back- a vertical fold taken on the midline of the medial surface of the calf at the level of the maximum circumference.

Superior iliac fold- a diagonal crease taken directly above the iliac crest, along its natural line.

In the middle of the thigh at the back- a 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 belly 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- a 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- a diagonal fold (from top to bottom, outside to inside), taken in the middle between the anterior axillary line and the nipple (in women, 1/3 of the distance)

Axillary- a vertical fold taken on the mid-axillary line at the level of the xiphoid process of the sternum

On the forearm- vertical fold on the front surface of the forearm at its widest point

On the upper 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 upper part of the lower leg- the fold 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 corner of the popliteal fossa

How to calculate body fat percentage

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

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

For women, d is calculated as follows:

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

Body surface area is determined by the Dubois formula:

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

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 used above for the structure of the body and where to measure the folds. And it will be difficult to make calculations. Then you can use the method easier.

You can measure folds at 4 points:

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

on the bicep, similar to 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 the cervical vertebrae and the sides

at the waist near the navel where the fat is most

All results (in millimeters) are added. The fat percentage is calculated using the following table:

It provides data for women. For of different ages different indicators. This is due to the fact that with age, the amount of fat inside the muscles and in the abdominal cavity around the internal organs inevitably increases. 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 muscle percentage

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

You need 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 shin

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

shoulder
forearms
hips
shins

Musculoskeletal Mass (SMM) Formula

where DT is height (m), k = 6.5, r is 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 at rest at the point of greatest development; girth of the forearm - in the place of the greatest development of muscles on a freely hanging arm, muscles are relaxed; shin circumference - in the place of greatest development calf muscle; thigh circumference is measured under the gluteal crease, body weight is evenly distributed on both legs, located shoulder-width apart. The folds are defined in the same position and locations as the 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 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 built-in software. They differ in the frequency (or set of frequencies) of the alternating current used, in terms of measurement, recommended electrode placement patterns, and built-in formulas for determining body composition.

Inexpensive single-frequency devices are used to monitor body fat and musculoskeletal mass. More expensive dual-frequency and multifrequency 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 by applying electrodes to the lower leg and wrist.

They produce hand-held bioimpedance fat analyzers that take information from shoulder girdle... There are bathroom scales that you can use at home. It is on such scales that we will stop our attention.

When you step on the scale, a weak electrical current travels up one leg, through the 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 transmission 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 in the instructions for the scales. These tables indicate the age and standards of the content muscle tissue, fat and water in the body.

Of course, these scales are easy to use, but they do not give accurate results. Research has shown that the best scales are only 80% accurate. With their help, you can only roughly assess whether your body composition meets the established norms. Factors such as body type, fever, hydration, recent physical exercises and the last meal. Even wet or sweaty feet, as well as large calluses on the feet, can skew the results. It has been found that different scales give different readings. Such devices may be less accurate for the elderly, people with good physical fitness, children, and people with osteoporosis. Several other diseases also affect accuracy, including muscular dystrophy, polio, cirrhosis of the liver, and heart failure. In addition, this scale can overestimate body fat in lean people and underestimate body fat in people with overweight... It is not recommended for pregnant women to use such a scale if there are electrical implants such as a pacemaker or defibrillator.

The balance should be placed on a flat floor, and when weighing, stand straight and not move (you can see the result after weighing in the balance's memory). It is necessary to weigh in at the same time of day ( better in the morning on an empty stomach some time after you woke up and went 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 ideal interest fat and muscle tissue in the body. It depends on age, gender, physical fitness and ethnicity.

According to some experts, the "healthy" range for fat 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%. As you strive to burn fat as much as possible, remember that too little fat in the body can lead to health problems.

For women, the average muscle mass is 36%.

An example of a different percentage of fat in male body from Muscle & Fitness.

Experienced architects know that the beauty of the body in modern society directly depends on the percentage of fat in the body - the body with a small percentage looks beautiful according to modern canons, but the lower the percentage, the more efforts are required from the owner of the body to maintain it. And too little fat (as well as too much) is unhealthy.

Zozhnik has a whole article “” with an overview of different measurement methods.

However, the measurement error different methods can be very high. For example, the difference between the values obtained using a caliper (one of the methods with a high error, in the photo above) and DEXA (scanning the body with X-rays, a method with a minimum error), with professional data acquisition with a caliper, can be ~ 6-9% (i.e. That is, for example, the caliper will get something about ~ 6% of body fat, and according to DEXA's indications it will be ~ 12%), and in the hands of an amateur, the run-up in numbers can be much greater (which is not uncommon). With this approach, the method "by eye" will be quite accurate.

Look at the photo below (for men and women separately) and figure out which of the photos is closest to your current state.

However, do not forget that the level of muscle mass is equally important for the beauty (and health) of the body. This is what the same body fat percentage might look like with different muscle mass in men and women:

Minimum body fat percentage

The minimum percentage of fat for survival is considered to be 3-5% in men and 8-13% in women. A certain amount of fat is essential for the normal functioning of the body, in fact, it is impossible to completely get rid of this amount of fat and remain alive at the same time, this type of fat includes the so-called. essential fat that is part of nervous system or fat surrounding internal organs (Kaminsky and Dwyer, 2006).

There is a known case of the death of bodybuilder Andreas Münzer, who reached 4% in the body. Andreas did not pay attention to health problems until the case turned into a tragedy. On March 13, 1996, on the plane, he felt stomach pains, doctors diagnosed bleeding in the abdominal cavity (the liver began to collapse rapidly). During the operation, it was discovered that his blood was viscous due to total dehydration of the body, and his liver was almost destroyed. The heart could not withstand such a load. Müntzer was operated on for 19 hours, but the life of the athlete was never saved. During the night, Andreas died of "multiple organ failure."

Most of the fat in the human body is stored in the fat cells of the subcutaneous adipose tissue (adipocytes) and around the organs (visceral fat). And a small part of fat is stored in almost all organs, tissues and cells of the human body.

Subcutaneous and visceral fat also perform a number of important functions but its excess increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, metabolic syndrome, coronary heart disease, and some types of cancer.

What percentage of body fat is healthy?

We have already written an article about the fact that there is no healthy obesity. Exactly how fullness (and low fat) is considered healthy by the World Health Organization:

Healthy Body Fat Ruler. Above the table - men, below - women. Bars from left to right: Age (years), Low Fat, Healthy Fat, High Fat, Obesity.

Here's another recommendation for a healthy percentage of body fat from the American College of Sport Medicine (ACSM):

Visceral fat accumulation

According to research, accumulation visceral fat in adults, it is not the cause of a genetic predisposition, but rather is the result of an increase in total body fat.

The accumulation of “harmful” visceral fat begins in men when an average of 20.6% of body fat and above is reached, in women - from 39.4% and above.

The Reality of Reducing Body Fat

All you know is that you spend more calories than you eat and your fat will be burned in order to replenish the lack of energy. but the more fat you burn, the harder it gets.

The process of losing the first 5 kg is very different from losing the last 5 kg. In fact, the slimmer you get, the harder you need to work in order to improve your shape later on. When you start out, you can fairly easily lose about 1% of your body weight per week, but as your fat percentage and your weight decrease, each additional kilogram becomes more difficult.

Most professional bodybuilders and fitness models only look perfect during competition, and they pay the price for that.

By the way, be sure to read it and decide if you need it.

How to move from one "fat category" to another

Below we provide a translation of the text from Precision Nutrition about what you need and don't need to do daily and weekly in order to achieve the desired level of body relief.

Fat percentage: men - more than 20%, women - more than 30%

What to do to gain fat:

Eat convenience foods and other processed foods,
Eat in large portions
Eat fast.

Limitations:

Do not play sports, lead a sedentary lifestyle,
There are fewer healthy foods (vegetables, fruits, etc.)
Eating unbalanced
Sleep less.

Fat percentage: men 15-20%, women 25-30%

What to do:

Include 2 servings of protein food per day,
There are 1-2 small portions of vegetables,
Engage in any kind of activity that you like 3-5 times a week.

Limitations:

Eat fewer processed carbs, but don't cut back too much.
Drink fewer high-calorie drinks, but don't cut them down too much.

Fat percentage: men 13-15%, women 23-25%

What to do:

Include 1-2 servings of protein in 2-3 meals,
Eat 2-3 small servings of vegetables a day,
Include some processed carbs
Engage in any kind of activity for 30-45 minutes daily,
Conduct 1-2 intense workouts per week,
Sleep at least 7 hours a day,
Practice stress management techniques.

Limitations:

Do not allow yourself to eat desserts / processed foods more than 3-5 times a week,
Drink no more than 3-5 high-calorie drinks per week.

Fat percentage: men 10-12%, women 20-22%

What to do:

Include a serving of protein and vegetables with every meal
Include some omega-3 fatty acids in several meals,
Include small servings of processed carbohydrates
Engage in any kind of activity for 45-60 minutes daily,
Do 3-4 intense workouts per week,
Sleep at least 7-8 hours

Limitations:

Don't allow yourself desserts / processed foods more than 1-2 times a week (within reason),
Do not drink more than 1-2 high-calorie drinks per week.

Fat percentage: men 6-9%, women 16-19%

What to do:

Control your diet for KBZHU - calories, proteins, fats, carbohydrates (plan a diet, weigh and analyze any food that enters the body),
Include a serving of protein, vegetables, and some healthy fats with every meal
Include very small servings of minimally processed carbs,
Start applying calorie / carbohydrate cycling,
Engage in any kind of activity for 60-75 minutes daily,
Spend 4-5 intense training in Week,
Sleep at least 8-9 hours
Apply stress management techniques.

Limitations:

Consume carbohydrates only on "high-carbohydrate" days,
Allow yourself desserts / processed food once every 1-2 weeks (within reason),
Drink no more than 1 high-calorie drink once every 1-2 weeks,
Visit restaurants no more than 1-2 times a week.

Fat percentage: men:<6%, женщины: <16% (уровень профессионалов)

What to do:

Control your diet for KBZHU - calories, proteins, fats, carbohydrates (plan a diet, weigh and analyze any food that enters the body),
Apply calorie / carbohydrate cycling,
Follow a pre-calculated nutritional plan
Count every calorie and weigh food,
Include the exact amount of protein, vegetables and fats in every meal,
Consume the exact amount of minimally processed carbs post-workout
Drink a lot of water
Engage in any kind of activity 2 times a day for 45-75 minutes,
Conduct 6-7 intense workouts per week,
Sleep 9 hours
Apply stress management techniques.

Limitations:

Consume carbohydrates only after exercise
Eat desserts / processed foods once every 10-12 weeks in reasonable amounts,
Completely exclude high-calorie drinks,
Forget about going to restaurants.

conclusions

The lower your fat percentage, the more of your life and effort will be devoted to maintaining it (do you have a family, work, and other joys?). H To become slimmer there is no need to starve and turn your whole life upside down. Take small, progressive steps from one fat category to the next.

Don't aim for a minimum body fat percentage, choose a healthy and comfortable level and aim for it.

It's never too late to start taking care of yourself and your diet. People who are trying to lose weight or, conversely, gain weight, need to know the percentage of fat in their body in order to develop the right diet and calculate the daily calorie intake.

Online calculators can help you calculate your body fat percentage. They will also indicate the calorie rate for weight loss, maintenance or weight gain. In addition to calculators, there are other ways to determine the percentage of body fat:

By photo;
the Covert Bailey method;
YMCA method;
additional YMCA method;
US Navy method;
special weights;
based on bmi;
measurement of skin folds.

More details on each of the methods for calculating body fat will be discussed below.

The minimum mass fraction of fat, which is considered the norm, is 5-9% for men and 13-15% for women. Fat in the body should not be less, otherwise there is a risk of harm to health. Fat mass is an important component of our body. It performs a large number of different functions:

stores energy;
retains useful substances;
protects internal organs;
provides a normal temperature.

Without a normal percentage of fat mass, girls can disrupt their menstrual cycle and reproductive function.

Calculating the percentage of fat

Finding out your body fat percentage is a matter of a few minutes. The most common method is online calculators. In order to calculate the percentage of fat, it is enough to indicate gender, height and weight. Sometimes it is necessary to measure the volume of the waist, hips and neck, but this is not difficult to do. What exactly needs to be measured depends on the calculation method you choose to use.

But it should be borne in mind that in addition to body fat mass, there is also bone mass. Sometimes a person can have really “heavy bones”. Bone mass rates differ between men and women.

Bone mass

In addition to bone mass, the human body has a lean body mass - this is mass without taking into account the percentage of body fat. It is often referred to as “lean”. With different muscle mass, weight indicators will differ.

Age	Men			Women
	Lot	Norm	Few	Lot	Norm	Few
10-14	>57%	44-57%	<44%	>43%	36-43%	<36%
15-19	>56%	43-56%	<43%	>41%	35-41%	<35%
20-29	>54%	42-54%	<42%	>39%	34-39%	<34%
30-39	>52%	41-52%	<41%	>38%	33-38%	<33%
40-49	>50%	40-50%	<40%	>36%	31-36%	<31%
50-59	>48%	39-48%	<39%	>34%	29-34%	<29%
60-69	>47%	38-47%	<38%	>33%	28-33%	<28%
over 70	>46%	37-46%	<37%	>32%	27-32%	<27%

What the calculation of the percentage of fat shows

Body fat percentage can be easily measured, but it is not always clear what the numbers mean. The same percentage of body fat for men and women means very different results. The ratio of fat, muscle and water in the body will help you find out at any medical center. The body fat rate is shown in the table.

Fat Levels Table

Table: Fat Percentage and Age

The percentage of body fat is highly dependent on age. Although the minimum level necessary for the normal functioning of the body does not change, the ideal percentage of fat increases with age.

A man's normal body fat percentage is less than a woman's normal body fat percentage. This is due to the presence in the female body of the hormone estrogen, which affects metabolism, so the rate of fat in a woman's body is higher.

A healthy percentage of body fat is at least 10-12% for women and 4-5% for men. Less fat is a health hazard.

Table of dependence of the percentage of fat on age

Age	Men				Women
	Very good	Okay	Average	bad	Very good	Okay	Average	bad
10-14	<11%	11-16%	16-21%	>21%	<16%	16-21%	21-26%	>26%
15-19	<12%	12-17%	17-22%	>22%	<17%	17-22%	22-27%	>27%
20-29	<13%	13-18%	18-23%	>23%	<18%	18-23%	23-28%	>28%
30-39	<14%	14-19%	19-24%	>24%	<19%	19-24%	24-29%	>29%
40-49	<15%	15-20%	20-25%	>25%	<20%	20-25%	25-30%	>30%
50-59	<16%	16-21%	21-26%	>26%	<21%	21-26%	26-31%	>31%
60-69	<17%	17-22%	22-27%	>27%	<22%	22-27%	27-32%	>32%
over 70	<18%	18-23%	23-28%	>28%	<23%	23-28%	28-33%	>33%

How to find out the percentage of body fat on video

Why measure your body fat percentage

The fat percentage is important for people who want to lose weight. Once you know your body fat percentage, you can better monitor your progress. Knowing your calorie intake will make it easier for you to choose a diet. In addition, for people who are underweight, data on the amount of fat mass will help in gaining weight and will not allow them to step over the minimum acceptable threshold.

During weight loss and muscle gains, fat percentage should be measured once a week or two. Since the percentage of fat in a woman's body is higher, it will be more difficult for her to increase the percentage of muscles.

How to measure your body fat percentage

To measure subcutaneous fat in the body, it would be more correct to contact a medical center. Moreover, if the accuracy of the result is fundamentally important to you. However, the body fat ratio can also be measured at home. There are many different ways to determine the percentage of fat, differing in the accuracy of the results and the ease of measurement.

To find out the percentage of muscle in the body, measure the biceps in a relaxed state with a tailor's tape. Next, measure your forearm, one thigh and lower leg. All measurements are taken at the widest point. Take a caliper, pinch a fold of skin on the bicep, put a key under it and squeeze lightly. Record the result. Repeat on triceps, forearm, thigh, and lower leg.

For more accurate calculations, measure both on the left and right side of the body, and then display the arithmetic mean.

Write down the girth in centimeters, the tuft in millimeters.

R = (sum of girths / 25,12) - (sum of tucks / 80). Using this formula, you will get the average radius of the 4 links of the top and bottom chain.

Use the following formula to calculate muscle mass:

Muscle mass (grams) = height (cm) × R × R × 6.5

If you are interested in the percentage result, use a different formula:

Lean mass (%) = Lean mass (kg) / body weight (kg) × 100

For more information on what to do, see the link:

By photo

One of the easiest ways to measure the amount of body fat. Look at the photographs provided and find the one that most closely follows the outlines of your figure.

The proportion of adipose tissue in this way is determined very imprecisely. The distribution of fat is individual for everyone, which is why the visual method can only approximately determine the composition of the body. Only a person who has been involved in the visual assessment method for a long time will be able to name the most accurate result.

With the help of body composition analyzers

Such scales are found in medical centers and gyms. Using a special device, the analyzer will calculate the percentage of body fat. They are often used in medicine for an impartial assessment of health status.

Since the opportunity to regularly visit medical centers is not always present, scales for calculating fat mass can be purchased for measurements at home. There are several rules for using this device:

weigh yourself on an empty stomach;
try to avoid touching the device with wet hands, as this may negatively affect its operation;
when weighing, be sure to take into account the possibility of small errors.

Please note: for some categories of people, the data obtained will be incorrect. For example, for pregnant women and people with edema.

Fat fold measurement

This method is considered the most accurate in measuring body fat. Measurements are made with a caliper, which can easily be replaced with a caliper. Measured:

Triceps. In the middle.
Biceps. In the middle.
Under the shoulder blade. Angle 45 degrees.
Waist. 8-10 cm away from the navel.

Pinch the fold until squeezing lightly. Take measurements on a naked body. You can do a tuft both along and across. It would be better to measure the folds on both the left and right sides of the body, and find the arithmetic mean. You will get an accurate result if you measure carefully and meticulously. It would be better to call an assistant who will help with the measurements.

After the test, you need to summarize the results and find the percentage of subcutaneous fat in the table.

Fat percentage table

	Men			Women
Amount in mm	16-19 years old	30-49 years old	over 50	16-29 years old	30-49 years old	over 50
20	8,1%	12,1%	12,5%	14,1%	18,4%	21,4%
22	9,2%	13,2%	13,9%	15,4%	19,5%	22,6%
24	10,2%	14,2%	15,1%	16,5%	20,6%	23,7%
26	11,2%	15,2%	16,3%	17,6%	21,5%	24,8%
28	12,1%	16,1%	17,4%	18,6%	22,4%	25,7%
30	12,9%	16,9%	18,5%	19,5%	23,3%	26,6%
35	14,7%	18,7%	20,8%	21,6%	25,2%	28,6%
40	16,3%	20,3%	22,8%	23,4%	26,8%	30,3%
45	17,7%	21,8%	24,7%	25,0%	28,3%	31,9%
50	19,0%	23,0%	26,3%	26,5%	29,6%	33,2%
55	20,2%	24,2%	27,8%	27,8%	30,8%	34,6%
60	21,2%	25,3%	29,1%	29,1%	31,9%	35,7%
65	22,2%	26,3%	30,4%	30,2%	32,9%	36,7%
70	23,2%	27,2%	31,5%	31,2%	33,9%	37,7%
75	24,0%	28,0%	32,6%	32,2%	34,7%	38,6%
80	24,8%	28,8%	33,7%	33,1%	35,6%	39,5%
85	25,6%	29,6%	34,6%	34,0%	36,3%	40,4%
90	26,3%	30,3%	35,5%	34,8%	37,1%	41,1%
95	27,0%	31,0%	36,5%	35,6%	37,8%	41,9%
100	27,6%	31,7%	37,3%	36,3%	38,5%	42,6%
110	28,8%	32,9%	38,8%	37,7%	39,7%	43,9%
120	29,9%	34,0%	40,2%	39,0%	40,8%	45,1%
130	31,0%	35,0%	41,5%	40,2%	41,9%	46,2%
140	31,9%	36,0%	42,8%	41,3%	42,9%	47,3%
150	32,8%	36,8%	43,9%	42,3%	43,8%	48,2%
160	33,6%	37,7%	45,0%	43,2%	44,7%	49,1%
170	34,4%	38,5%	46,0%	44,6%	45,5%	50,0%
180	35,2%	39,2%	47,0%	45,0%	46,2%	50,8%
190	35,9%	39,9%	47,9%	45,8%	46,9%	51,6%
200	36,5%	40,6%	48,8%	46,6%	47,6%	52,3%

Calculations can be done through formulas. First, calculate your body area:

S = height × weight / 10. The result will be in square meters.

bicep;
triceps;
forearm;
breasts (only in men);
stomach;
scapula;
the front of the thigh;
shins.

Here it is also better to measure both on the left and right sides, and then display the arithmetic mean. The fact is that the human body is not perfectly symmetrical, so the thickness of the fold may differ slightly.

Find the average value for the thickness of the fold:

for men: d = sum of tucks (mm) / 16;
for women: d = sum of tucks (mm) / 14.

Thus, you find out the average value between the thickness of the fold and the area of the body. Now you can start calculating the amount of fat:

Fat weight (kg) = S × d × 1.3

% fat = fat weight (kg) / body weight (kg) × 100

BMI based

The calculation method based on BMI (body mass index) is the most popular. To calculate BMI, use the formula: weight (kg) height (m) height (m)

It is noteworthy that for the male and female body, the norm is the same.

BMI norm

Deficit	<18,5
Norm	18,5-24,9
Excess	25-29,9
Obesity	>30

This method is not suitable for people involved in sports, because their main volume and weight is muscle mass. With an increased BMI in athletes, it's not about fat, but about muscles. In addition, this technique is not suitable for pregnant women, since a certain part of their weight is the weight of the fetus.

Using various calculators

Online calculator for calculating the percentage of fat is a quick and not labor-intensive way. The calculator calculates the percentage of fat on its own. All you need to do is enter the specified data.

After the calculator gives you the percentage of body fat, check the result against the table. A huge plus of these calculators is that they will help you calculate your daily calorie intake. After all, each person, depending on his gender, age and lifestyle, has his own calorie rate.

Description of Fat Percentage Formulas

Fat percentage can be calculated using many different methods and formulas. For some of them, it is enough to know their height, for others, a considerable number of measurements need to be taken, but each method will help determine the level of fat in a sufficiently accurate volume. However, do not use them to calculate the level of muscle mass, there are other ways for such purposes. How to do it using one of the methods:

US Navy method

When selecting military personnel for the US Navy, certain parameters must be met. There are a great many of them. The indicator of the level of fat is one of the most important.

If you decide using this method to find out how much fat is in the body, take several measurements:

height;
waist;
hips (for women).

Measurements are made in centimeters.

Formula for men:% = 86.010 * LOG (belly-neck) - 70.041 * LOG (height) + 30.30

Formula for women: = 163.205 * LOG (belly + hips - neck) - 97.684 * LOG (height) - 104.912

The Covert Bailey Method

This method, which determines the amount of adipose tissue, has appeared quite recently. In addition to gender segregation, people are categorized by age group. If you want to know if excess fat is present, then you need to measure the wrists, lower legs, hips and thighs. Then follow the formulas:

% BMI (male) = Waist + 0.5 x Hips - 3 x Forearm - Wrist

% BMI (female) = Thigh + 0.8 x Thigh - 2 x Calf - Wrist

People over 30:

% BMI (male) = Waist + 0.5 x Hips - 2.7 x Forearm - Wrist

% BMI (female) = Thigh + 0.5x Thigh - 2 x Shin - Wrist

YMCA method

This method of calculating the percentage of body fat was developed by the youth volunteer organization “YMCA”. For calculations, you will need to measure your waist and body weight.

Calculation formula

For men:% body fat = -98.42 + 4.15 waist in inches -0.082 weight in pounds weight in pounds 100%

For women:% body fat = -76.76 + 4.15 waist in inches -0.082 weight in pounds weight in pounds 100%

Complementary YMCA Method

This method will calculate the fat mass using more measurements. Measured:

wrist girth;
hips;
forearm;
waist.

% LMC = 100 (4.5talia-0.082wt-94.42) weight

% fat = 0.268 weight -0.318 wrist + 0.157 waist + 100% BMI + 0.245 hips-0.434 forearm-8.987

The proportion of fat should be relatively accurate. If your fat level is too high or too low, it's best to entrust the calculations to an online calculator.

Method Comparison Chart

comparison table

You don't have to go to a specialist clinic or medical center to find out your body fat percentage. There are a huge variety of very different methods, each of which can be resorted to at home. All of the above methods will guarantee an accurate result if the instructions for use are followed.

Previously, the Human Body Mass Index was used to determine overall health. Today, for this purpose, body fat percentage.

There are many articles on this topic that include determining this indicator using tables, formulas or other methods. This article discusses the main ideas of these articles, and the result is presented in pictures for a visual representation of the state of the male and female body, depending on this indicator.

To have an idea of what this material is about, you need to understand several terms and concepts.

How is this percentage calculated? The amount of fat in kilograms is divided by the body weight and then converted to a percentage. For example, with a total weight of 80kg for a man and a fat mass of 13kg, the fat percentage would be 16.

Fat distribution

Each has its own characteristics of the body and organism, including the distribution of body fat. So, some women have a small amount of fat on their belly, and excess fat in the triceps and thighs. For others, the opposite is true. As for men, in most cases, fat deposits are mainly observed in the abdomen. The pictures clearly show in which parts the fat is most often deposited in the female and male sexes.

Features of the figure

They are also different for everyone, so people with the same percentage of fat will look different outwardly. As an example, we can cite models and athletes in whom this indicator is absolutely the same, and the differences are visible to the naked eye.

Age

The pictures show people in the 25-35 age group. It should be noted that the older a person gets, the more fat is contained in his body... For example, men aged 20 and 50 have the same percentage of body fat, but in the first (young) it will be 15%, and in the second - 20%. This is due to the tendency for fat to increase with age around organs and muscles.

Muscle grooves

In the process of pumping up the body, a relief is formed, the muscles become more noticeable and resemble grooves in appearance. It is also important to have an idea of what vascularity is. As the percentage of body fat decreases, veins appear - this is the meaning of this term.

3-4%

This percentage of fat is typical for the period of preparation for sports competitions. In this case, there is increased vascularity - veins are visible on almost every muscle. Even the muscles in the buttocks have small gaps, and the absence of these indicates a very low fat content. The norm for men is considered to be about 2% fat content. It is this amount that is necessary for the body to function normally, since fat protects the organs in the abdominal cavity and thoracic region.

6-7%

This indicator is not as categorical as the previous one, but it is still not normal for the majority of representatives of the strong field. The fact is that this is reflected in the appearance, for example, the face looks emaciated, which causes anxiety among the people around. This percentage of fat is typical for most models, they have clearly distinguished muscles, there is a bright vascularity, including the muscles of the limbs, abdomen. When the abdominal muscles are clearly visible, the muscles are clearly separated - this indicates a low fat content.

10-12%

This is the normal level for a man. Of course, the abdominal muscles are not as clearly visible as in the previous case, but the abdominal muscles are clearly visible. This is exactly the state and shape of the body that most men strive for. He is also considered attractive to the fair sex. This fat percentage only shows grooves on the arms and shoulders, not every muscle.

15%

This level corresponds to men with a fit and slender figure. The contours of the muscles are clearly visible, but there is no visible separation between them. As a rule, the grooves are covered with a small amount of fat. However, this does not negatively affect the shape of the body - the figure is beautiful, despite the fact that there is no obvious muscle release.

20%

This level of fat content is characterized by not very clear release of muscles and blood vessels. In most cases, men have a small tummy. For example, the male population of New York City generally has a fat content in the 20-25% range. But in other places, this figure may differ. As a rule, a man with a height of 180 cm and a body weight of 81 kg has a body fat content of about 20% fat.

25%

In this case, there is a significant increase in waist volume, muscles and blood vessels are practically not visible. With a man's height 180cm, his minimum waist can reach 91cm. Also, this percentage of fat content is characterized by a slight increase in neck volume, small fat folds. But all this is perfectly hidden by clothes. Men who have a higher fat content than indicated in this paragraph face the problem of obesity. Abdominal obesity is recognized if the waist exceeds 101 cm.

30%

This indicator is characterized by the spread of fat throughout the body, including the formation of fatty deposits in the waist, hips, back, and calves. Visually, the waist looks larger than the hips, the muscles are not visible at all, the stomach sags.

35%

When body weight is constantly increasing, the amount of fat increases, more of which accumulates in the abdomen. At this level, an even more sagging belly is observed, the waist as such disappears altogether (its volume can exceed 101 cm). Such a belly is called "beer".

40%

As in the previous case, fat deposits are concentrated in the waist and abdomen. The waist can exceed 145cm. With this indicator, a person is faced with a number of problems of movement, especially on the stairs. It is difficult to bend over. These are the first signals of obesity!

10-12%

The minimum level that can only be observed in women exercising. Vessels and muscle grooves are clearly visible. For the normal functioning of the body, a fat content of 8-10% is permissible. What is the reason for this difference compared to the minimum indicator for men (2%)? This is due to the high fat content in the area around the uterus and mammary glands, so there is no need to strive for a male indicator, since this poses a health hazard to the fair sex. The girl in the photo probably has an upper specified limit, since the vessels are poorly visible.

15-17%

Corresponds to the second level of fat in males. This indicator is typical for the bulk of models advertising underwear. Moreover, most of them may face problems associated with impaired functionality of the body. The muscles of the limbs, shoulders, and the press are clearly visible. Due to the low fat content, the shape of the thighs and buttocks is not pronounced.

20-22%

In the body of most athletes, this is exactly the percentage of fat. A small amount of fat is observed on the limbs, the abdominal muscles are clearly visible. The minimum level of muscle separation among themselves.

25%

Typical for most of the fair sex. Such a woman cannot be called too thin, but not fat either. A small layer of fat is present on the buttocks, the bend of the hips is clearly visible. This level is typical, for example, at 163cm height and 59kg body weight.

30%

Unlike men, in whom the accumulation of fat is observed mainly in the abdomen, in the majority of women, it is deposited in the buttocks and thighs. The latter are pronounced with a rounded shape. 30% fat is the upper limit for the average woman.

35%

An even greater increase in the hips, the neck and face acquire rounded shapes. The volume of the hips can exceed 100cm, the waist - 80cm. The stomach begins to sag.

40%

Hip circumference can exceed 106cm, waist - 90cm, hips - 63cm.

45%

This level is characterized by the appearance of noticeable folds, the skin condition worsens. The hip circumference can exceed 115cm, the waist - 90cm. The shoulders look noticeably narrower than the hips.

50%

The hips become even larger, noticeably exceeding the width of the shoulders. The skin condition worsens, the fat is clearly visible. The hip circumference can exceed 115cm, the waist - 101cm. Example: with a woman's height 163cm and a body weight of 90cm, half of them are muscle mass, the remaining 50% is fat.

How to Reduce Body Fat - Video

Based on materials: builtlean.com

Getting rid of fat - basic rules 5 tips to speed up fat burning Weightlifting is the best way to lose fat! Lack of weight is as life-threatening as obesity

The fight against fat has become global in recent years. The rapid increase in the weight of a significant number of the population, especially in developed countries, has made this problem more urgent than ever.

And it's not just the aesthetic side of the matter - fat people are at risk of developing so many diseases that it threatens to significantly reduce life expectancy and its quality.

In this article, we will take a closer look at all the ways to determine the percentage of fat in the human body.

In women, the fight against fat has become simply manic. They exhaust themselves with diets, sometimes unsafe for health, exhausting, they take suspicious medications ...

However, it must be admitted that sometimes women only think that they are too fat. That is why, before starting the fight for weight loss, it is worth determining the percentage of body fat in order to develop a master plan to get rid of it. But how to determine the percentage of body fat, is there an ideal way?

We admit right away: there is no such way, to our great regret. However, we intuitively understand that there is too much fat in the human body, already from its appearance alone.

Obesity has different degrees, but if the percentage of fat is about a third of the total body weight, then it's time to sound the alarm.

However, the other extreme is also dangerous: if the percentage of body fat is too low, then this is a serious health risk.

In women, for example, a decrease below 10-13% is critical and causes the cessation of the menstrual cycle and, accordingly, infertility, and men, at values below 5-9%, look simply emaciated and lose their masculinity, since sex ceases to be produced in their body.

Are there clear guidelines for what percentage of body fat is optimal?

If we are talking about ordinary people who are not involved in bodybuilding, then age should also be taken into account - as it increases, the percentage of body fat also increases.

So, if for men under 30 years old, it averages 6-14%, then from 30 to 50 - 11-17%, and over 50 years old these figures increase to 12-19%.

A woman who nature has created for the continuation of the human race should have a greater percentage of fat in her body, because she needs to provide conditions for the development of the fetus, and fat serves as a "strategic reserve" for a rainy day.

Therefore, for women in the same age range, the dynamics is as follows: from 13-18% to 15-23%, and later to 16-25%.

If you consider yourself too fat / oh, or, simply put, fat / oh, then you will probably be interested in how to determine the percentage of body fat at home.

Method "by eye" on the photo ... Not the most reliable and rather subjective method, but still it will allow you to get a rough idea of how much fat, including excess fat, in your body. Women should be warned right away: do not follow the models walking the catwalk - they are as close as possible to the ideal of fashion couturiers (a mop with a hanger).

In this article, you can find tables showing photographs of female and male figures of varying degrees of fullness, indicating the percentage of fat content.

Take off your clothes and in front of the mirror try to identify yourself with this or that photo. At the same time, you can see what awaits you, if you do not urgently take up yourself (remember: it's not only aesthetics, but also health).

Along the fold on the belly ... It is best to use a caliper, but if you do not have one, you can use a regular ruler. So: measure 10 cm from the navel to the right at the same level, pinch the skin with fat on the belly with your fingers so that you get a fold, and measure it in millimeters.

We look in the table for the thickness of the fat fold for different ages and by the color that is highlighted, you see which level you correspond to: low, ideal or medium.

Using a calculator. And here again our online calculator comes to our rescue, based on the measurement of various body parameters (chest, waist, hips, neck, etc.).

After completing all the proposed measurements, you can not only determine the percentage of body fat, but also get recommendations on how to get rid of its excess.

With water. Remember Archimedes' law with his “Eureka!”? Here, too, he set an example of how you can determine the percentage of body fat by completely immersing a person in water. The method is very laborious, although it is considered one of the most accurate.

There is a special formula for calculating the percentage of fat, moreover, for greater accuracy, dives are made repeatedly.

True, it is not possible to use this method at home due to the lack of special equipment, but in some clinics it is used.

Using bioimpedance analysis based on different levels of electrical conductivity in different tissues of our body. This method is considered the most accurate, as it provides valuable information about how much fat, muscle, water is in the body, and all this in a matter of minutes.

Electrodes are simply connected to the lying person in the right places, and they transmit the information to a special device.

The error is minimal - no more than 1.5-2%, but on the basis of these data, you can also calculate the optimal calorie intake.

How the scale can determine the percentage of body fat

Of course, we are not talking about ordinary, but about electronic medical scales, which show not only weight, but also, as in bioimpedance analysis, what percentage of water, muscle and bone tissue is in your body, what is its physical condition and metabolic rate.

The latter indicator allows you to determine the metabolic age, which is also very important. It happens that a relatively young, but more than well-nourished person has a metabolism that is more characteristic of older people.

True, such scales will cost a pretty penny, but all the indicators can be obtained at home.

But even ordinary scales can be a good incentive for weight loss if you use them regularly, since you have already embarked on the path of combating excess fat.