Final answer:
Obesity in young adult males is not solely designated by body fat percentage but by a BMI greater than 30 kg/m². Body fat percentages above 20% might indicate obesity, but measuring body fat percentage or waist-to-hip ratio can offer more specific insights.
Step-by-step explanation:
The body fat percentage that designates a young adult male as obese is not directly defined by a specific percentage, but rather by the body mass index (BMI) measurement. Obesity in adults is diagnosed when their BMI is greater than 30 kg/m². However, for more direct measurement of body fat, LibreTexts suggests that for a young adult male, a body fat percentage between 12 and 20 percent is considered normal, implying that a percentage above this range could be indicative of obesity. While BMI is a widely used indicator, it is important to consider its limitations, such as not accounting for muscle mass, and therefore, measurements of body fat percentage or waist-to-hip ratio may provide additional insights into obesity-related health risks.