Why do you have to put in your sex on the scales that measure body fat?

Question

I would of thought fat was fat no matter what sex you are. Also if the scales measure muscles why do you have less muscle if you set it to female and more fat? Which is the accurate one? Does it matter which you set it to? Sorry for going on. Thanx for any help :-)

I understand women have more fat because of having babies.

Answer 1

The quick answer is: because girls have boobies (snigger).

Its because the fat on a woman is displaced slightly differently than the fat on a man. For example, women have a very high propensity to store fat around their breasts (and womb) whereas men don't.

Other reasons are that men and women have different hormonal outputs (testosterone vs oestrogen levels for example) and that things like bone density can affect readings.

If you wanted to go for the conspiracy theory angle though, it could be because women are more likely to spend money on slimming products and this is a handy way of subliminally affecting their spending habits...

Answer 2

Women have approximately 5% more body fat than men and this is due to breast tissue, plus a larger layer of fat under the skin. The reason for this is that a woman's body is naturally developed to protect her and a potential foetus, therefore women have more enzymes for storing fat and fewer enzymes for burning fat. Additionally, the estrogen in women's bodies activates fat storing enzymes and causes them to multiply. Women also experience more changes in hydration levels than men because of their menstrual cycle, and this can affect body fat measuring. These are the reasons why it's important to enter your gender when using a body fat calculator, as the above facts need to be taken into consideration when making a calculation. The male body should, by nature, have a higher ratio of muscle weight to fat when compared with the female body.

Answer 3

Because there are different proportions of fat to muscle on the male and female body.
The bone density is smaller in women and the muscle content to fat is lower.

Answer 4

Yes, women have a higher percentage of body fat for child bearing.

Answer 5

Because mens bones are heavier than womans and they tend to have more muscle than women which is heavier than fat

Answer 6

Because females ave extra fat padding their bodies ie hips and breasts. Men have heavier muscles and bones.

Answer 7

b/c women are supposed to have a slightly higher fat percentage. We carry extra fat all over to help us for when we have babies.

Answer 8

Woman have more fat than men