What is the range of bodyfat for women?
A. The average North American woman has a bodyfat percentage of ~25-29%, which is relatively high due to the often poor diet and exercise habits of the North American population. An optimal range of bodyfat for normal women is between 21-25%. Athletic women often have bodyfat percentages between 15-20%. Fitness models in competition shape tend to be around 12-15%, while female bodybuilders have been known to get as low as 8-9% (largely through artificial means). As a point of comparison, an optimal range of bodyfat for men is about 10-15%, with competitive male bodybuilders getting as low as 4%.
