Since the beginning of the digital age, women have been bombarded every day with pictures of the "perfect" body type. Celebrities no bigger than a size 4 litter Instagram feeds, while magazines use models that are about as big as our little toe. While the tide is changing thanks to models like Ashely Graham, that doesn't stop women from thinking about their health and appearance. Author Judy Mahle says that up to 50% of women are on a diet at any given time in the US, whether they need to lose weight or not. One doctor has dished up the dirt on body fat and how it's essential to our overall health, despite what many women think.
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Dr. David Greuner spoke to lifestyle website Popsugar, detailing how vital body fat is. It's not only essential, said the cofounder of NYC Surgical Associates, but needed to help bodies to function properly and protect organs. However, having too much fat can have the opposite effect, so what exactly is the healthy amount of body fat for a woman? Are our muffin tops safe, or do we need to cut back on the calories?
Stepping on the scales can be misleading. If you've ever joined a diet club, you'll most likely have heard the phrase "Muscle weighs more than fat" bounded around. This is true, meaning that someone could have a much leaner, more muscular physique than someone who looks unhealthier, but still weigh more. So, standing on the scales and relying on the number isn't always the best indication for how healthy a person is. On the other end of the spectrum, individuals in the "normal" weight bracket could still have a high percentage of body fat which can put them at risk for heart disease.
According to Dr. Greuner, women between the ages of 18 and 39 should aim for a body fat range between 21 and 32 percent. Women aged between 40 and 59 should range from 23 percent to 33 percent and finally, women aged 60 and 79 should range from 24 to 34 percent.
Most importantly, ladies should maintain a healthy lifestyle by ensuring they're eating a good variety of healthy foods, so they can be certain that their bodies are getting all of the vitamins and minerals needed to stay in shape. A little exercise never goes a miss either.
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