What's a healthy body fat percentage for men?

In a world where fitness goals often focus on numbers on a scale, understanding the healthy percentage of body fat for blokes can provide a more accurate measure of your health.

Maintaining a healthy percentage is essential for optimal physical performance, overall health, and longevity. This metric offers insights into your body composition, reflecting the balance between fat mass and lean mass.

In this article, we’ll explore what body fat percentage is, why it matters, and how you can measure and improve it.

What is body fat percentage?

Body fat percentage refers to the proportion of your total body weight that comes from fat.

Unlike muscles, bones, and organs, body fat serves as an energy reserve, regulates temperature, cushions vital organs, and produces hormones.

However, not all fat is equal, and its distribution in the body can significantly impact your health.

• Visceral fat: Surrounds internal organs and high levels are linked to increased risks of several health issues. Because it’s stored deep within the abdominal cavity, visceral fat can be more harmful than subcutaneous fat, contributing to inflammation and insulin resistance [1].
• Subcutaneous fat: Located just under the skin. While less harmful than visceral fat, excessive amounts can still lead to obesity-related health issues and can be difficult to lose through diet and exercise alone [1].

Understanding these fat types highlights the importance of monitoring body fat percentage, not just weight. High percentages, particularly with excess visceral fat, can be a silent threat to your health [1].

Body fat percentage vs body mass index (BMI)

BMI has long been used to classify individuals as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese based on height and weight.

However, unlike body fat percentage, BMI doesn’t differentiate between muscle and fat mass, which can lead to misleading conclusions, especially for athletes or those with higher muscle mass [2]. For example, a professional athlete may have a high BMI due to muscle mass but a low, healthy body fat percentage.

Conversely, someone with a "normal" BMI could have a high percentage of body fat, posing potential health risks.

BMI is a generalised tool, not accounting for individual differences in muscle and fat distribution. That's why taking the time to calculate body fat percentage is a more reliable health indicator [2].

Why is body composition important?

Body composition is the balance between fat mass and lean mass. It's critical for assessing overall health, as too much body fat, especially visceral fat, is associated with several health risks.

In particular, a high body fat percentage is directly associated with obesity, leading to joint problems, sleep apnoea, issues with mental well-being, and a reduced quality of life [3].

On the other hand, having too little body fat can lead to hormonal imbalances (potentially causing issues like low testosterone levels in men), a decreased immune function, and energy deficits, which can reduce stamina, cause muscle weakness, and impair recovery after exercise, especially in endurance athletes [5].

Maintaining a healthy body fat percentage promotes metabolic health, enhances physical performance, and contributes to overall vitality and longevity [6].

What's considered a healthy body fat percentage for men?

A person's ideal body fat percentage varies depending on age, genetics, and activity level, but there are general guidelines that can help you determine what’s healthy:

• Essential fat: 2-5% (necessary for basic functions)
• Athletes: 6-13%
• Fitness: 14-17%
• Average: 18-24%
• Obese: 25% and above

Age is another factor that also affects what’s considered healthy:

• 20-39 years old: 8-20%
• 40-59 years old: 11-22%
• 60-79 years old: 13-25%

As men age, metabolic rates tend to slow, and maintaining muscle mass becomes more challenging, leading to increased body fat.

Regular monitoring helps to stay within a healthy range and adjust lifestyle habits as needed to avoid health risks associated with higher body fat percentages.

In Australia, the average body fat percentage for men typically falls within the 20-24% range, depending on factors such as lifestyle, diet, and exercise habits [7].

Ways to measure body fat percentage

There are many ways to go about measuring body fat percentage, each with its pros and cons [1]:

• Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA): Uses electrical currents to estimate body fat by measuring resistance. While widely available, its accuracy can be affected by hydration, food intake, and other factors.
• Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA): The gold standard for accuracy, DEXA scans measure body fat, muscle mass, and bone density. Though reliable, they are expensive and less accessible for regular monitoring.
• Hydrostatic weighing: Compares weight on land to weight underwater, providing accurate estimates. However, it requires specialised equipment and is less convenient due to submersion.
• Air displacement plethysmography (Bod Pod): Measures body volume and density using air displacement. It's fairly accurate and quick, though access may be limited outside specialised facilities.
• Skinfold callipers: Measures skinfold thickness in specific body parts. It's cost-effective and accessible for home use, but results may vary due to human error, making it less consistent for long-term tracking.

Choosing the best way to calculate your body fat percentage depends on your needs, resources, and required accuracy. But if you want the best insight into tracking changes in your body over time, combining methods or regular monitoring with reliable tools like DEXA or BIA may be the way to go.

How to reduce body fat percentage

To lower body fat percentage, a combination of diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes is essential. Here’s how to effectively reduce body fat:

Diet and nutrition

• Balanced diet: Focus on whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Incorporate fruits, vegetables, and fibre to feel full while reducing calorie intake. Avoid processed foods and sugars, which contribute to fat accumulation and blood sugar spikes [6].
• Calorie control: Burn more calories than you consume to lose body fat. Monitoring intake and maintaining a caloric deficit can help achieve this. Tracking food intake with apps or journals helps identify patterns and encourages healthier choices [6].
• Avoid fad diets: Quick fixes and fad diets are unsustainable and may lead to muscle loss rather than fat loss. They can also cause nutritional deficiencies, hindering long-term weight loss and health [9].

Exercise and physical activity

• Resistance training: Build muscle through weight training to increase metabolic rate, burning more calories at rest. Include exercises targeting all major muscle groups, like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses [6].
• Cardio: Engage in cardiovascular exercises like running, swimming, or cycling to burn calories, improve heart health, and target stubborn fat stores. Combining HIIT with steady-state cardio maximises fat burning [6].
• Consistency: Regular exercise is crucial for reducing body fat. Set realistic goals and maintain a routine that includes strength training and cardio, aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week as recommended [8].

Lifestyle adjustments

• Sleep: Poor sleep increases stress, leading to weight gain. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night which can help with recovery and fat-burning [6].
• Stress management: Chronic stress elevates cortisol levels, promoting fat storage, especially around the stomach. Practice stress-reducing activities like meditation or yoga to manage stress and support weight loss.
• Hydration: Staying hydrated aids weight loss by promoting satiety and optimising body function. Drink water throughout the day, especially before meals, to control appetite and prevent overeating.

Looking for other ways to support your weight loss goals? Pilot's Metabolic Reset Program is a great option to consider as it offers a structured approach to achieving and maintaining a healthy body fat percentage.

The program focuses on providing modern treatments with sustainable lifestyle changes, including expert guidance and tools to track progress, ensuring you can reach your goals safely and effectively.

Achieving and maintaining a healthy body fat percentage is about more than just aesthetics — it’s crucial for overall health. By understanding and managing your body fat percentage through diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes, you can improve your health and enhance your quality of life.

Image credit: Pexels / Ketut Subiyanto