on call
Question
My fitness club recently measured my body fat at 14%. What are normal ranges for older men, and is body fat percentage a great strategy to determine a healthy weight?
Oh 14% body fat is taken into account optimal for a healthy male, but this will likely not indicate a “healthy” weight. Body fat percentage, like weight, is dependent upon a variety of aspects that may vary per person, corresponding to overall health, metabolism (how your body burns excess calories for energy or stores them as fat), amount of activity, and muscle mass.
Also, where you store body fat has a big impact on health risks. Even in case your weight is near the traditional range, a big waist size may mean you will have an unhealthy amount of belly fat. Excess belly fat increases the danger of diabetes and heart disease. So, it's possible to have a great overall body fat ratio but still be at high risk if the fat is concentrated around your waist.
Rather than counting on only one measurement, corresponding to body fat percentage or body mass index (calculated based on each weight and height), to find out whether you are obese, I like to recommend using two measurements: waist size and waist size to hip size ratio.
-
waist size To find your waist size, wrap a measuring tape just above your navel. Ideally men should strive for 35 inches or less.
-
Waist size to hip size ratio. Measure your hips across the widest a part of your hips. Then divide your waist size by your hip size. The ideal waist-to-hip ratio for men is 0.9. If your number is high, you'll have plenty of belly fat.