According to body composition standards, body fat percentages vary based on what criteria?

Body fat percentages are established based on the criteria of gender and age because both factors significantly influence body composition norms.

Gender plays an important role as men and women generally have different distributions of body fat due to biological differences, including hormonal influences. Women typically have a higher percentage of body fat than men, which is necessary for reproductive health and other physiological functions.

Age is another critical factor because body composition changes as individuals age. Younger individuals often have a higher muscle mass and lower body fat percentage, while as people age, they tend to experience a natural decline in muscle mass and a potential increase in body fat percentage.

Since body fat standards are tailored to account for these variances, they provide a more accurate assessment of an individual's health and fitness relative to their specific demographic.