From the Research
Ideal Body Composition for Females
The ideal body composition for females in terms of percentage of body fat is a topic of ongoing research and debate.
- According to a study published in 1996 1, the best body fat percentages for women averaged between 20% and 30%.
- A 2000 study 2 aimed to develop percentage body fat ranges based on body mass index (BMI) guidelines, but did not provide specific percentage body fat ranges for women.
- A 1983 study 3 of elite American athletes found that female athletes had body fat percentages ranging from 19.5% to 22.2%, depending on the sport.
- A 2012 study 4 of Chinese adults found that the optimal body fat percentage cut-offs for obesity in women were around 35%.
- Another 2012 study 5 using data from the US adult population found that the percentage of body fat cut-offs for women corresponded to BMI cut-offs and varied by age and race-ethnicity, ranging from 24.6% to 49.4%.
Factors Influencing Ideal Body Fat Percentage
Several factors can influence the ideal body fat percentage for females, including:
- Age: Older women tend to have higher body fat percentages than younger women 5.
- Race-ethnicity: Non-Hispanic black women tend to have lower body fat percentages than non-Hispanic white or Mexican American women 5.
- Athletic status: Female athletes tend to have lower body fat percentages than non-athletes, depending on the sport 3.
- Health status: Women with higher body fat percentages are at increased risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes 4.