There are in fact two components of body fat:  Essential fat, and storage fat.

Essential Fat

This type of fat includes the fat that forms your cell membranes, organs, nerves and various body tissues.  It helps insulate and protect your organs from physical damage.  In most healthy adults, essential fat accounts for about 3% of their total body weight.

Women have an additional essential fat requirement know as “sex specific” fat.  This is the fat that is stored mostly in the breasts and around the hips.  It’s purpose is to help regulate hormones.  In most women, sex specific fat account for a further 5-9% of their body weight.

It’s important to note that if a woman’s fat stores fall too low menstrual function and hormonal balances will be compromised.  Recent studies have also shown that hormone levels can in men can also be effected by excessively low body fat levels.

Storage Fat

You are probably more familiar with storage fat, as it’s the type of fat that is visible when you look in the mirror.  This type of fat is used by the body as an energy reserve that takes the form of adipose tissue under the skin and around the organs.  We use this type of fat as our primary source of energy for day to day activities including:

• Walking
• Sleeping
• Low intensity exercise

Unfortunately it is not possible to reduce fat from specific areas of the body.  In most people, the body uses fat from all areas of the body although the exact pattern depends on a combination of hormonal balances and genetics.

Healthy Body Fat Percentages for Males & Females

Your sex will determine what body fat percentage range is healthy for you.  Here are the body fat levels that are considered healthy for males and females:

Male body fat percentage: 15-18%

Female body fat percentage: 20-25%

Of course having a body fat percentage that is slightly above or below these numbers does not necessarily mean that you are not healthy.  These are generl figures and should only be used as an estimated range.

Do you think you fall within the healthy body fat percentage range?  Have you ever had your body fat percentage calculated?  What percentage of body fat do you have as a goal?