Our body fat is like padding that helps to insulate us, regulates our temperature, stores energy, protects certain organs, and more. A certain amount of body fat is needed to keep our bodies functioning properly; however, an overabundance of it can pose significant risks for developing chronic diseases. So how much fat is too much? Is 40% body fat bad?

Today, we are going to talk about body fat percentages and what it means if you have 40% body fat. We will look at how your body fat percentage can affect different functions and areas of your body.

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What Is Body Fat Percentage?

Your percentage of body fat is the amount of fat you have in your body in relation to your bones, muscles, organs, etc. Men and women have different requirements for body fat to be considered healthy.

Why Is Body Fat Important?

There are many reasons why having a certain amount of body fat is important, including:

• Fat stores energy, so it can sustain you for long periods of time if food becomes scarce;
• It helps keep your body warm in cold temperatures by acting as insulation;
• A certain percentage of fat is important if you want to start a family, as it is needed for optimal fertility;
• Fat provides cushioning for your bones, protecting them from breaks and reducing strain on the joints;
• It creates a protective barrier to keep your vital organs safe and protected.

While a certain percentage of body fat is essential for good health, too much can create health problems.

What Body Fat Is Considered Healthy For Each Gender?

Women need a higher amount of body fat than men to keep their bodies functioning properly. Men require a bare minimum of 2%, while women’s bodies require five times that amount. This is because their bodies break down these fat molecules and turn them into energy at different rates. One reason that women require a higher percentage of body fat is that their reproductive system takes a significant amount of energy to operate.

Take a look at the body fat percentage chart for men and women below.

Where Does Your Body Fat Percentage Fall?

<table class="iksweb"><caption>Where Does Your Body Fat Percentage Fall?</caption><tbody><tr><th><b>% of Fat</b></th><th><b>Women</b></th><th><b>Men</b></th></tr><tr><td><b>The Minimum</b></td><td>10-12 percent</td><td>2-4 percent</td></tr><tr><td><b>For Athletic Build</b></td><td>14-20 percent</td><td>6-13 percent</td></tr><tr><td><b>For Fit Individuals</b></td><td>21-24 percent</td><td>14-17 percent</td></tr><tr><td><b>Within Average</b></td><td>25-31 percent</td><td>18-25 percent</td></tr><tr><td><b>Too Much Fat</b></td><td>32 percent or higher</td><td>26 % or higher</td></tr></tbody></table>

It is important that you understand the amount of body fat you have and the way it is distributed throughout your body before you start a weight loss journey. The ideal is to land in a range that is considered healthy for your body type and gender. A range of 40 percent body fat for a female or male is excessive and can lead to health issues.

How Do You Know How Much Body Fat You Have?

There are several ways to determine how much body fat you have and a few are fairly easy and inexpensive to use at home. They may not provide exact accuracy, but it will be close enough to determine if you have cause to be concerned.

Calipers

Measuring the thickness of the skin you can pinch together is a quick and easy way to determine body fat percentage. It may be easier if you have a friend or your doctor help you, but it is possible to do it by yourself. Following a set of guidelines, you can pinch the fold of your skin in certain areas, including the abdomen, triceps, chest, shoulder blade, under the arm, above the hips, and the thighs. These areas are measured with a small tool called a caliper. This tool looks like a clamp you would use when holding something tight to dry after applying glue. After taking the measurements in the different areas, you will plug them into a formula that will tell you the approximate percentage of your body fat.

Body Circumference Measurement

Another way to get the approximate percentage of body fat was developed by the U.S. Navy and involves measuring the circumference of your neck, abdomen or waist, hips, and height. Next, you use a gender-specific formula to determine your percentage of body fat or to make it super easy, use this online body fat calculator tool.

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Is A Level Of 40 Percent Body Fat Bad?

Having a body fat percentage that is 40% or higher can have many negative effects. This level of body fat, regardless of gender, is classified as obese and can cause serious health problems and get in the way of you carrying out your daily activities. Having excessive body fat can lead to:

• Cardiovascular conditions;
• Stroke;
• Elevated cholesterol levels;
• Hypertension;
• Many types of cancer (i.e., ovarian, rectal, kidney, liver, prostate, etc.);
• Diabetes (type 2) Too much extra fat can disrupt the body’s ability to produce and distribute insulin, which regulates the body's blood sugar levels;
• Digestive conditions;
• Gallbladder and liver issues;
• Reproduction and fertility problems;
• Joint inflammation and mobility problems;
• Chronic sleep apnea;
• Anxiety and depression;
• Physical discomfort.

Obesity causes a plethora of physical and mental health issues. Not only can it impact your daily life and limit your mobility, but it can also harm your emotional state and significantly reduce your self-confidence level. Individuals with 40% body fat or more have a harder time performing basic tasks like household chores or even walking. These individuals are normally considered less productive than people who maintain a healthy weight. They also experience increased feelings of insecurity and unease in social settings, which are often exacerbated by others who bully or make fun of them because of their weight.

What Can You Do To Lower A 40% Body Fat Level?

If your body fat percentage registers as obese, you need to lose weight so your health does not decline any further. Even a 10% reduction in body fat can make a substantial difference in how you feel and how your body performs. To lose weight and be successful in maintaining that weight loss, you must make permanent changes to how you are currently living your life. Cutting down on how many calories you are consuming is only one strategy; however, using a combination of many strategies can often offer the best weight loss results. Here are some proven strategies that can help you reduce an obese 40% body fat level:

Find A Professional To Help You

You will want to begin a weight loss program as soon as possible, and this is best done with the help of an obesity-trained medical professional like Dr. Steven Batash and his team at Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center.

Did you know that 99% of the medical doctors in the country have not been specially trained to understand obesity? This is unfortunate because, as an individual who needs assistance in lowering an obese body fat level, you want to ensure that your doctor knows the best ways to help you.

This may require a thorough investigation to discover if you have any underlying issues that are keeping you from losing weight even when you are doing all the right things. Next, after looking at your weight loss history, a customized plan needs to be put into place, created just for your circumstances, so you can overcome any of these challenging issues that have thwarted your previous attempts.

Make Some Immediate Changes To Your Lifestyle

Many people do not understand that there are many different things that can get in the way of them reaching their weight loss goals. To make sure that the efforts you are putting forth are able to work the most efficiently, it is important to make sure you are doing some basic things, such as:

Drinking enough water

Sometimes we misinterpret the cues we get from our body and think we're hungry, but we are really thirsty. Drinking an adequate amount of water keeps your body hydrated, keeps all your systems working properly, and can alleviate hunger pains.

Getting enough sleep

When you don't get enough sleep at night, it can increase hormones in your body that make you feel hungry, causing you to overeat. A lack of sleep can also cause your metabolism to run more slowly, so you're not burning off as many calories.

Practicing stress reduction

When you don't have an appropriate way to deal with your stress, it can build up in your system, causing many negative side effects. One side effect is that it increases the production and distribution of a hormone called cortisol in your system that causes hunger cravings and signals your body to start storing fat.

Make deliberate choices about what you eat

Losing weight requires creating a calorie deficit. Anyone who has ever tried to diet knows how hard it is to accomplish when your stomach is growling and reminding you that it's hungry. This is important to keep in mind when choosing what you are going to eat because not all calories are the same. For instance, if you drink a soda that contains 140 calories, it may make you feel good for a short while, but then your blood sugar will crash. You may begin to experience cravings, and you will be super hungry very quickly after drinking it. But if you eat a bowl of oatmeal (about 1 cup cooked), it contains approximately the same number of calories, but it will keep you feeling full for much longer and will burn more calories to digest, making it easier for you to create a deficit. A healthy diet full of fruit, vegetables, and plenty of protein will promote weight loss.

Pay attention to how you eat

It's important that during mealtime, you pay attention to what you are eating and how much you are eating. These days, this is called mindful eating and involves concentrating on what you're doing instead of watching television, scrolling on your phone, or doing anything else while you are eating. Research has shown that eating slowly and concentrating on chewing everything very well can help promote weight loss. This gives your body time to transmit the signal to your brain that you are full, and prevents overeating, and provides more satisfaction from the process of eating.

Getting enough exercise

In order to lose weight, your body needs to burn more calories than it consumes, and one way to make sure this happens is to increase your activity level. Getting enough exercise helps increase the rate at which your metabolism runs, so your body burns calories faster and more efficiently. Experts recommend a blend of cardio and strength training to get the best results. Cardio helps burn calories, and strength training helps build muscle (which burns more calories than fat).

How much weight you will need to lose to bring down a high body fat percentage will depend on your measurements and how elevated your body fat percentage is. The best way to reduce this is to work with a specialist who can map out the best plan for your circumstances and also offer you additional help if you need it.

At Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center, we can help patients with non-surgical weight loss tools such as Suture Sculpt ESG, intragastric balloons, and prescription weight loss medication. Our patients also have access to dietary help, nutritional education, exercise guidance, ongoing support, and more.

If you have reached a 40% body fat level, you may be experiencing or are at risk for serious and chronic medical conditions. Trust your health to the professionals at Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center and set up your consultation today. They can help you get your health back on track and make you look and feel your best.

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