The chart below shows the average body fat percentages of americans from samples between 19992004. Healthy body fat percentage chart classification.
How And Why To Measure Your Body Fat Percentage
Body fat pinch measurement chart. It can be terribly difficult to pinch yourself and read the caliper at the same time. Use the metric units tab if you are more comfortable with the international system of units si. If you dont have a pro at your disposal grab a friend and learn how to measure each others body fat using this article as your guide. Which uses special calipers to pinch. Enter the average in millimeters of three belly caliper tests or click the button to enter three measurements and have the calculator compute the average for you plus enter it into the appropriate field. Loss from her previous lean mass weight of 105 lbs.
And subtracting the result of 35 lbs. To get the best results measure to the nearest 14 inch 05 cm. Higher levels of body fat may be dangerous for you. Caliper procedures all calculator measurements should be made on the right side of the body caliper should be placed 1 cm away from thumb and finger perpendicular to skinfold and halfway between crest and base of fold pinch should be maintained while reading the caliper. From her bodyweight shows that her lean body mass dropped to 95 lbs a 10 lb. Bmi for the ratio of human body weight to squared height was coined in a paper published in the july 1972 edition of the journal of chronic diseases.
The following weight and height chart uses bmi. The vertical pinch is mostly used as the fat folds easier with most people. How do i take body fat caliper measurements. Or if you do have a skin fold caliper but would prefer more than just 3 sites feel free to use the 7 site skin fold test calculator. Total body fat. This data means that if your body fat percentage is lower than 31 for women and 24 for men you are in the average range and you have nothing to worry about.
A basic way to measure body fat percentage is by using a soft tape measure like the kind youd use for sewing to record measurements of different parts of the body. Bodyfat and weight measurements used to compute lean mass weight have shown that she lost as much muscle tissue as fat and that her weight loss program is not a good one. It is a key player in a variety of health problems much more so than subcutaneous fat the kind you can grasp or pinch. A vertical or horizontal fold is taken 2 centimeters to the right of the bellybutton umbilicus. Body fat percentage is the weight of a persons fat divided by their total weight. Again multiplying this times her bodyweight of 130 lbs.
If you dont have a skin fold caliper i suggest you try the military body fat calculator instead which only requires a tape measure and 2 or 3 body part measurements. Thats why i recommend getting a qualified professional to do your body fat measurement. The body fat calculator can be used to estimate your total body fat based on specific measurements.