Video:Difference Between BMI and Body Fat Percentage

Transcript:Difference Between BMI and Body Fat Percentage

What is the difference between BMI and Body Fat Percentage?

Whereas BMI, or Body Mass Index, is a measure of weight in relation to height, the percent of body fat is a measure of body fat only.

Is BMI or Body Fat Percentage a Better Indicator of Health?

Because BMI does not differentiate among the components of body weight: water, fat, muscle, bone, and other tissues, the percent of body fat is a better indicator of physical health and predictor of disease risk.

Everyone's percent of body fat should be within the healthy range, regardless of his or her weight, and the healthy range for body fat increases with age.

For females, the healthy range is:

• 21-33%, age 20-40
• 23-35%, age 41-60
• 24-36%, age 61-79

Compared to females, healthy men carry less fat. For males, the healthy range is:

• 8-19%, age 20-40
• 11-22%, age 41-60
• 13 – 25%, age 61-79