Adipose tissue functions best in healthy amounts. For guidelines on the amount you want to aim for, the body mass index (BMI) can be useful. The chart estimates your body fat based on your height and weight and indicates a healthy range. It’s just a generalized chart, though, and not perfectly accurate. A visit with your regular healthcare provider can give you more personalized information, taking into account your balance of fat to muscle and fluid levels. Your provider could also help you set realistic goals for weight loss or weight gain.
For general care, though, you don’t need to get caught up in numbers. Just try to eat a healthful, balanced diet and get some regular exercise. Healthcare providers recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate exercise, five days a week. That could mean taking a brisk walk, going for a bike ride, swimming or mowing the lawn. If you engage in more vigorous exercise, such as running, aerobic dancing or heavy yard work, two or three times a week is enough.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Body fat is so much more than storage. Adipose tissue interacts with your entire body to maintain your metabolic homeostasis. Through chemical signals and adaptive responses, adipose tissue could even be said to function with intelligence — at least in the sense that other body systems do. And like other body systems, it can also function imperfectly, leading to a breakdown in various chemical processes that depend on it. The more we understand how interdependent all body systems are — including body fat — the more we understand how each one deserves our respect and care.