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After presenting the results of a body composition test, it's almost reflexive for someone to ask me "What's normal?" - as if they're anxiously waiting to hear if they passed a major test.
"Is that bad?", they ask, when I present their estimated body fat percentage.
"No it's not bad, it's complicated", I usually reply.
The Bell Curve
Let's be real - there is no universal standard for how our body should be shaped. We are all unique snowflakes. However, if you measure enough people and gather enough data, you can come up with what's called a standard distribution - aka a bell curve - of body compositions. When it comes to humans, the standard distribution is surprisingly large, but over the years doctors and researchers have noticed certain issues and conditions unique to the extreme ends of the bell curve.
That is, someone who is on either extreme end of the bell curve will likely have predictable health risks.
So yes, there is a "normal." Unfortunately that normal is too broad for us to use it for anything outside of health and medical assessments. Even then, the people on the extreme ends of the bell curve may not NECESSARILY have the predicted health risks. So no, there is no normal.
Does that make sense?
Apples to Apples
To ask "Am I normal?" is an attempt to compare your body composition results to many other people. It's important to understand, however, that the comparisons you make should be against those who are closest to you in age, height, sex, activity level, and lifestyle. The "normal range" for a 22 year old women's Olympic swimmer will be vastly different than a 59 year old dude who's walking into the gym for the first time. So what categories should we consider?
Age
Age plays a HUGE part in how effectively our bodies process and store energy. Basically, the older we get, the fatter we get. That's normal. Hormone levels shift over time, life beats us down, joints hurt, activity levels decline. A 19 year old collegiate athlete will have a much easier time losing body fat than a 39 year old working professional. That's science.
Height
Height is another huge factor in what's considered "normal" for weight and body composition. It's estimated that after the first 5 feet of height, every additional inch should add an additional 5-6lbs to maintain the "ideal weight." But who came up with that rule? What is "ideal weight?" It was probably invented by some statistics undergrad who was forced to awkwardly measure a bunch of people. Does that rule factor in muscle mass? Who knows. It's also widely regarded that tall people "carry weight" better than shorter people -meaning they can have more fat on them but still look proportional. But that's still all subjective.
Sex / Gender
Hormones are a thing. Hormones help your body parts communicate to each other and play pivotal roles in fat loss. Even the smallest amount of testosterone can help lose a significant amount of fat and build muscle. Too much estrogen can cause weight gain - and hormonal imbalances are real. Because hormone levels can be so diverse, it's pointless to compare your results to a person with a different hormonal make-up. It's like trying to decide which is the better route to take to avoid traffic while flying a helicopter.
IN GENERAL, men usually have lower levels of body fat than women due to higher testosterone levels. Take two super-fit Instagram models for example - one male, one female. Both models have abs, both have a "super shredded" physique. The male model may be in the high single-digits (7-9%), while the female will likely be in the teens (14-19%). That's just the way it is. Does that mean women can't lose fat or have abs? Absolutely not - it's just the THRESHOLD for having abs is different for men and women.
Don't compare your results to someone with a different hormone profile.
Activity Level / Lifestyle
If you're comparing yourself against the "normal", it's important to compare against people with similar activity levels and lifestyles as yours. A normal body fat percentage for a 45 year old HR manager (who sits at a desk all day) will be different than a 45 year old construction worker who's on his feet all day.
Exercise makes up less than 10% of our total daily metabolic output. This means that the majority of our fat-burning potential is spread throughout the rest of the day. If you're confined to a desk job with minimal movement, you'll have to spend MUCH more time in the gym to achieve the same level of metabolic output that a construction worker may experience.
It's also worth noting that the ability to diet properly is heavily influenced by our lifestyle. People raised in a household of heavy eaters may have a different understanding of "normal healthy eating". Others, if left to their own devices, simply won't eat much food throughout the day. For them, this is "normal."
Consider activity level and lifestyle before comparing yourself to others.
THE CHART
Okay so with all of that out of the way, here's the chart of what's considered "normal" against age and biological sex. Take it for what it's worth.
The top line shows low, normal, high, or very high, along with associated BMI. The numbers inside the chart show body fat percentage within that age range.
The first thing you may notice is that there is a huge difference between genders. Women with low body fat are 11-13% higher than men with low body fat. Both categories would have visible abs. So for those ladies who are competing with their husbands - within 13% means you're at the same level of leanness.
You'll also note how body fat creeps up with age. The window grows by a few percentage points every few decades.
So what should you do with these numbers? Well first you can compare your number to the chart. Does your number fall into the appropriate age range? If so, keep doing what you're doing! Second, use these numbers to help you accurately reflect your personal fitness goals. Would losing 20lbs put you in the category you want?
What's the Real Question?
When someone asks me if their number is "good", I follow-up with my own question: "Do you THINK it's good?"
Your personal standards may be different than a 20 year old research study. If you're happy with your body fat levels, then YES, you're GOOD! If you want to make a change, you probably already know what needs to be done.
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