The body fat percentage indicates what percentage of the body consists of fat. If the percentage is too high, this can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis. In such a case, body fat should be reduced – ideally through a calorie-reduced diet and sufficient exercise. We reveal how you can measure your body fat and give you valuable tips on how to lower it. In our body fat table, you can also see which values are in the normal range and which values are too high.
Body fat percentage and BMI
The BMI (body mass index) puts our body weight and our height in relation to each other. It thereby provides a rough guide as to whether we are normal, underweight or overweight. However, the BMI does not provide us with any information about the composition of our body mass.
This information is provided by the body fat percentage. It indicates what percentage of the body mass consists of fat. The figure does not necessarily say anything about the body fat percentage: Even slim people can have too much body fat. This is because fat deposits are not always visible from the outside – in some cases, fat is also stored in internal body cavities.
Structural fat and storage fat
Body fat percentage by itself does not provide information about the ratio of different types of fat in the body. However, there are crucial differences here. For example, structural fat is important for us because, among other things, it protects organs and joints from excessive pressure.
Storage fat, on the other hand, can be harmful to our health – at least if we have too much of it. It is stored in the subcutis – especially on the abdomen, thighs and buttocks. In times of hunger, these fat reserves are the first to be tapped by the body. They allow a person to survive for up to 40 days without food.
In general, the body fat percentage should be neither too high nor too low. Too much fat is harmful to health, but too little is too. If the body fat percentage is so low that the structural fat reserves have to be attacked, the body can no longer function properly. This is the case for men from a body fat percentage below six percent and for women below twelve percent.
Danger for the cardiovascular system
If the body fat percentage is too high, it can have a negative effect on our health. This is because an excessively high body fat percentage is usually accompanied by an increase in blood fat levels as well as blood pressure. This increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis and stroke or heart attack. The development of diabetes mellitus can also be favored by an increased body fat percentage.
However, not all body fat is the same: while small pads on the thighs and buttocks only slightly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, too much fat on the abdomen is dangerous. This is because many vascular-damaging substances are produced here, which significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Reduce excess body fat
To reduce body fat in the long term, flash diets are the wrong way to go. Only a thorough change in lifestyle habits can achieve a favorable result. In addition to a healthy, low-fat diet, a lot of exercise is especially important.
If not only your body fat percentage is increased, but you are also overweight, you should change your diet so that you take in fewer calories than you consume. To do this, it is best to focus on healthy foods such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains. On the other hand, you should avoid sweet and fatty foods as much as possible.
However, a change in diet alone is not enough to reduce body fat. It is important that you also exercise. Endurance sports such as jogging, walking, swimming or cycling are well suited. Ideally, exercise three to four times a week for at least 30 minutes.
If you are slim but still have an increased body fat percentage, you should also do more sports. Here, in addition to endurance sports, regular strength training is particularly recommended, through which muscles can be built up in a targeted manner.
