Your Ideal Level of Body Fat
There are many factors to consider when trying to determine your ideal level of body fat. If you consider yourself to be of average build and maintain a moderate level of activity then your level of body fat will be different than that of someone who exercises on a regular basis or even a professional athlete. Following are some tips to consider as you make efforts to determine your ideal level of body fat.
As a starting point the average range for a non-athlete is 15 to 19 percent for men and 21 to 25 percent for women. Although these ranges are considered average they are not levels you would consider to be ideal. An optimal range for non-athletes are 10 to 14 percent for men and 16 to 20 percent for women. These levels may seem impossible to attain however, they are easily attainable with a balanced diet and a regular exercise routine.
To compare average figures to say those of an Olympic gymnast, a male will typically maintain a 5 to 8 percent level of body fat compared to 11 to 14 percent for women. You can see what a dramatic difference there is between someone who is fairly active and a professional gymnast who literally spend hours on end practicing and perfecting their routines.
To take it even one step further, let's consider the ideal level of body fat for a marathon runner. A male will usually fall within a range of 3 to 5 percent while a female will usually be within 9 to 12 percent. Keep in mind that runners and especially those who train for marathons literally run miles upon miles just to train to be the best in their field.
High body fat levels have been linked to a host of health problems including diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoarthritis. Men are considered borderline at 25% body fat and clinically obese at 30%, while women are borderline at 30% and clinically obese at 35% body fat. High levels of body fat also decrease athletic performance. Studies have shown that high body fat levels cause decreased performance in tests of endurance, speed, balance, agility and jumping ability.
