your ideal body fat is to consider variables such as body type, heredity, age, activity and gender. For instance, healthy body fat percentage ranges for women tend to be higher than those for men, as women need more body fat. A certain amount of fat is important for bodily functions. It regulates your body temperature, cushions organs and tissues and is the main form of your body’s energy storage. So it's important that you don't have either too much or too little body fat. Mayo Clinic staff, as well as other health professionals