Total body fat consists of essential fat and storage fat. Essential fat is important component for normal physiological function.
Essential fat constitutes about 3 percent of the total weight in men and 12 percent in women.
While storage fat represent for the energy reserve, it is fond mostly beneath the skin and around major organs.
Body fat levels differ significantly among men and women, contributing factors include genetic predisposition, physical activity patterns, and nutritional status.
Average values of percentage body fat approximate 15% for young men and 25% for young women.
Normal physiologic function in women requires a certain level of body fat stored in the breast hips and thighs.
The fat component of the body usually is called fat mass or percent body fat. The non fat component of the body is termed lean body mass.
In contact sports and activities that require muscular power such as football, sprint, swimming and running, successful performance typically requires a large fat free body mass with average or blow average body fat.
Body fat composition
