Heart, liver, or kidney disease. Sometimes swelling can indicate a problem such as heart, liver, or kidney disease. Ankles that swell in the evening could be a sign of retaining salt and water because of right-sided heart failure. Kidney disease can also cause foot and ankle swelling.
The average human body is estimated to be about 60 to 70 percent water. The percentage may be as high as 75% in infants, decreasing to 57-60% in adults. This does not include water that is part of hydrated chemical compounds in the body, which can only be removed chemically or by heat drying.
Back to Health Risk Assessment â Body Composition Because water is contained primarily in fat-free tissues - the muscles - the percentage of total body water can vary widely between individuals. Those with a high percent body fat can be as low as 40% total body water, while very lean individuals and athletes can attain 70%. Water is the essential component of all vital fluids and the medium of transport in every biological exchange.