UNDERSTANDING YOUR BODY METRICS
Body Fat
is a vital measurement of your overall health and fitness. A normal body fat
level varies with age, activity level and gender. For example, it is normal for women to
record up to 10% higher values than men. With increasing age, the body breaks down
muscle mass which causes an increase in body fat levels. It is important to monitor your
body fat as health problems can arise from either having too little or too much body fat.
The tables below may be used as guides:
e
l
a
m
e
F
e
l
a
M
Age
Low
Optimal Moderate High
Age Low
Optimal Moderate High
20-29 <13
14-20
21-23
>23
20-29 <19
20-28
29-31
>31
30-39 <14
15-21
22-24
>24
30-39 <20
21-29
30-32
>32
40-49 <16
17-23
24-26
>26
40-49 <21
22-30
31-33
>33
50-59 <17
18-24
25-27
>27
50-59 <22
23-31
32-34
>34
60+
<18
19-25
26-28
>28
60+
<23
24-32
33-35
>35
Short term fluctuations are normal. We recommend you chart your progress over time
rather than focus on a single day reading.
Total Body Water
is the amount of fluid in a person’s body expressed as a percentage of
their total body weight. Approximately 45-65 percent of your body weight is water. Water
plays a vital role in your body and is found in every cell, organ and tissue. In order to
achieve reliable results over a period of time that help you to evaluate your progress, we
strongly recommend consistent measuring conditions, as mentioned earlier.
As a general guideline, the average % total body water for healthy adults is:
e
l
a
m
e
F
e
l
a
M
Age
Low
Normal High
Age
Low
Normal High
10-15
<58
58-72
>72
10-15
<57
57-67
>67
16-30
<53
53-67
>67
16-30
<47
47-57
>57
31-60
<47
47-61
>61
31-60
<42
42-52
>52
61-80
<42
42-56
>56
61-80
<37
37-47
>47
Note:
The best time for obtaining an accurate reading of your % Total Body Water is in
the early evening, before your meal. This is when your hydration level will be more stable.
