The figure for women is higher, in fact 18 to 25 percent of a woman's bodyweight should be fat. Calculate your BMI using the simple test below, then check your results on the table. The comments regarding your weight can be found in the top row. The BMI test should not be used by body-builders as the weight of the extra muscles could interfere with the calculation. However, if it is above 25-27, you should do something about your weight before it affects your health.
Obesity can cause diabetes , heart conditions , cancer and high blood pressure .
If your BMI is above 30, you should definitely act straightaway. Please note that body-builders or people with large bones cannot use the BMI since the weight of the muscles and bones alter the calculation. Don't starve yourself or over-strain your body with strenuous exercise. Read here about how to lose weight the healthy way . You can experiment with the test to see how much weight you should lose to get your BMI down.