Body fat & Body water %

Some information i thought might be useful to some of you, i have no scentific research and i am no expert all the information i am providing is from my salter weighing scale instruction book so take what you want from the information but i thought it would be helpful even as a guide line.

This salter scale uses BIA (bio impedance analysis) technology which passes a tiny eletrical impulse through the body to determine fat from lean tissue, the eletrical impulse cannot be felt and is perfectly safe. Contact with the body is via stainless steel pads on the platform of the scale.

Body fat

what does it mean?

The human body is made up of, amongst other things, a percentage of fat. This is vital for a healthy, functioning body- it cushions joints and protects vital organs, helps regulate body temperature, stores vitamins and helps the body sustain itself when food is scarce. However, too much body fat or indeed too little body fat can be damaging to your health. It is difficult to gauge how much body fat we have in our bodies simply by looking at ourselves in the mirror.
This is why it is important to measure and monitor your body fat percentage. Body fat percentage gives you a better measure of fitness than weight alone- the composition of weight loss could mean you are losing muscle mass rather than fat- you could still have a high percentage of fat even when a scale indicates ' normal weight'.

Body water

why measure it?

Body water is the single most important component of body weight. It represents over half of your total weight and almost two thirds of your lean body mass (predominantly muscle).
Water performs a number of important roles in the body
All cells in the body, whether in the skin, glands, muscles, brain or anywhere else, can only function properly if they have enough water. Water also plays a vital part in regulating the bodys temperature balance, particularly through perspiration.
The combination of your weight and fat measurement could appear to be normal but your body hydration level could be insufficient for healthy living.

Normal healthy range of body fat & total body water percentage
FOR THOSE USING ATHLETE MODE- note that athetes may have a lower body fat range and a higher body water range than shown below, depending on their type of sport or activity.

Male
Age Body fat Body water
18- 28 8-19% 60%
30- 39 11-21% 60%
40- 49 13-23% 55%
50- 59 15- 25% 55%
60-69 17- 27% 50%

Women
Age Body fat Body water
18-29 20-30% 50%
30-39 22-32% 50%
40- 49 24-34% 47%
50- 59 26- 36% 47%
60- 69 28- 38% 45%

Body water measurement results are influenced by the proportion of body fat and muscle. If the proportion of body fat is high, or the proportion of muscle is low then the body water results will tend to be low.
It is important to remember that measurements such as body weight, body fat and body water are tools for you to use as part of your healthy lifestyle. As short term fluctuations are normal, we suggest you cart your progress over time, rather than focus on a single days reading.

Why are the body fat percentage ranges for men and women so different?

Women naturally carry a higher percentage of fat than men, because the make-up of the body is different being geared towards pregnancy, breastfeeding etc.

What should i do if my body fat reading is very high?

A sensible diet, fluid intake and exercise program can reduce your body fat percentage.

What should i do if my water reading is low?

Ensure that you are regularly taking suffcient water and work towards moving your fat percentage into the healthy range.


Hope this is helpful to someone and as i stated above i am no expert and have no scentific research so take what works for you out of this information.
Happy reading.