Adulthood
During adulthood, the healthy ranges of body fat differ for men and women. The body fat ranges for women are significantly higher than for men. This is both normal and healthy. One major study showed that the range of percent body fat increases slightly with age in both men and women.
| AGE (Years) | HEALTHY RANGE OF BODY FAT FOR FEMALES | HEALTHY RANGE OF BODY FAT FOR MALES |
| 18 - 39 | 21 - 32% | 8 - 19% |
| 40 - 59 | 23 - 33% | 11 - 21% |
| 60 - 79 | 24 - 35% | 13 - 24% |
Notice that at any age, the healthy range of body fat is significantly higher for women than for men. It is widely accepted that this is due to the reproductive function of women.