Measuring Percentage Body Fat in Healthy Individuals
by Fiona Hayes
http://www.the-summit.co.uk/article4.htmJustifications given
For some years obesity has been linked to increased risk for diseases such as coronary heart disease, type II diabetes, hypertension and some types of cancer. (Schull W.J. 1990; Gledhill N. 1990). Obesity has been defined as a body mass index of greater than 21 or body fat greater than 30%. Medical opinion is that to be healthy a total body fat percentage of no greater than 25% for women and no greater than 15% for men is desirable.
Over the past 20 years activity levels in the UK have fallen by an average of 800 Kcals per day and Intake has fallen by about 750 Kcals, per day (W P James: 1995; Hendler R.G. 1995). The remaining 50 Kcals causes a positive energy balance which is reflected in an increase in average adult weight. Added to this, a decrease in activity levels exacerbated by ageing causes a decrease in muscle mass, (Evans W. J. 1993; Tseng B.S. 1995; Going S.1995), which alongside the increase in weight gives a considerable rise in average total fat weight or percentage body fat.
The western world is apparently very interested in weight loss/management as witnessed by the popularity of slimming products. The U.S. National Centre for Health Statistics shows that nearly 50% of adult women are dieting to loose weight (DHSS publication 1990). It would appear therefore that loss of weight is a possible motivating factor for people to start on, or adhere to a regular exercise programme. For these reasons many health clubs and fitness centres include an estimation of percentage body fat in the battery of fitness assessments that they offer to the general public. Goals are then set for the client and these may include a target loss of body fat.
Sports coaches also often use estimations of % body fat and encourage athletes to achieve certain standards identified as desirable for elite performers in that particular sport.
Although estimations of percentage body fat are useful in collecting statistical data to identify population trends in public health, it is questionable whether the routine measurements carried out as part of fitness assessment in health clubs or as evaluation of factors leading to better sports performance are justified.
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