Body Fat % used to calculate obesity

At my new workplace in Poole, Herbalife gave a free "Personal Body Analysis", a 1 minute test for body fat percentage (body fat %). At 168 pounds and 5'7.5" and 57 years I had BMI 25.9 and 29.7% body fat.

Tanita have an explanation and wall charts showing that I am classed as obese (just) based on body fat % basis. The wall chart was based Gallagher et al in 2000 according to Tanita.

Body Fat Ranges for standard adults

The wall chart was based Gallagher et al in 2000.

For males 40-59 years a healthy body fat % is 11-21%.

Tanita's Body Fat Monitors and Body Composition Monitors use Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) to help calculate results.

LloydsPharmacy Body Composition Monitor

An amazing £5 from LloydsPharmacy. I spotted the same machine in a shop for Euro70 in Finland!

It works by bio-electrical impedance by passing an electric signal through the body when holding the unit in both hands. Fat is more resistant than muscle and other tissues in the body, thereby allowing the Hand Held Body Composition Monitor to calculate the Body Fat %.

For my age range, at 28.1% I'm in the Body Fat High category (22-28%) borderline to Very high Body Fat associated with obesity 28%+. The healthy range is 11-22% body Fat. (BMI 25.7, 11st 10lbs)