Regional body volumes, BMI, waist circumference, and percentage fat in severely obese adults

Objective: This study presents total body volume (TBV) and regional body volume, and their relationships with widely used body composition indices [BMI, waist circumference (WC), and percentage body fat (% fat)] in severely obese adults (BMI ≥35 kg/m²). Research Methods and Procedures: We measured TBV, trunk volume (TV), arm volume (AV), leg volume (LV), and WC and estimated % fat in 32 severely obese persons with BMI 36 to 62 kg/m² (23 women; age, 19 to 65 years; weight, 91 to 182 kg) and in 58 persons with BMI <35 kg/m² (28 women; age, 18 to 83 years; weight, 48 to 102 kg) using a newly validated 3‐day photonic image scanner (3DPS, Model C9036–02, Hamamatsu Co., Japan) and calculated TV/TBV, AV/TBV, and LV/TBV. Results: Men had significantly larger TBV and higher TV/TBV and AV/TBV, but significantly lower LV/TBV than women, independently of BMI. TV/TBV increased while AV/TBV and LV/TBV decreased with increasing BMI, WC, and % fat, and the rate of increase in TV/TBV per % fat was significantly greater in severely obese individuals than in individuals with BMI <35 kg/m². The relationships for TBV with % fat were much lower than with BMI or WC. Conclusion: Body volume gains were mainly in the trunk region in adults, irrespective of sex or BMI. For a given BMI, WC, or % fat, men had a significantly larger TV than women. The implication is that men could have higher health risks due to having higher trunk body weight as a proportion of total body weight compared with severely obese or less severely obese women.     

Socio-economic factors and body composition

This study supplies further data to the question of influence of social background in body development. There are a great number of studies concerning the influence of socio-economic factors on growth. On the other hand, there are very few investigations into the factors of body composition though these factors give more information about the developmental stage of the children's skeleton, muscle and fat mass than any absolute measurement. The social status was established on the basis of the parents' occupation, educational level, the per capita income, per capita room-quota and sibling number. Beyond these factors the effects of maternal age at childbirth and birth order were investigated in a sample of 3553 boys and 3371 girls aged between 7–14. Body composition was studied by a two-component model. Results of body composition have shown that children living under better social circumstances are not only heavier, because they have more developed skeleton and musculature, but have more body fat mass too. The excess of their body fat mass is caused in part by the unaltered habits of nutrition, in part by sedentary life style. These results stress the necessity for a more efficient somatic and environmental education.     

黎族的体成分与体质特征

1982年和1988年已经有学者报道了黎族体质人类学研究资料,近年来又报道了黎族的分子人类学研究成果。目前未见关于黎族身体组成成分的研究,也没有当前黎族的体质人类学数据。2014年11月,在海南省五指山市5个黎族村寨进行607例(男为308例,女为299例)黎族成人的人体测量。研究发现,黎族人偏瘦,肌肉较发达。随年龄增长,黎族男性体脂率的增加,主要是躯干脂肪率增大造成的,与四肢脂肪率关系不大。男性由于骨量、躯干和四肢肌肉量的下降造成瘦体质量的逐渐减小。随年龄增长,黎族女性的体脂率呈线性增大,总肌肉量呈线性减小。体脂率的逐渐增大是由于躯干和四肢的脂肪率逐渐增加造成的,总肌肉量的逐渐减小是左下肢肌肉量、躯干肌肉量逐渐下降造成的。黎族男女均为圆头型、高头型、中头型、阔面型、中鼻型、中躯干型、中胸型、宽肩型、中骨盆型、中腿型。与30年前黎族头面部资料相比,本文测量的黎族头宽、面宽值较大,头更圆些、更阔些,面更阔些,红唇较薄,形态面高值较小,男性鼻宽值较小。     

Relationships among body composition measures in community-dwelling older women

Objective: To examine whether simple anthropometric measures provide a good estimate of total and visceral fat in 146 community‐dwelling, older white women (mean age, 74.0 ± 4.1 years). Research Methods and Procedures: Total body fat and visceral fat were measured using electron beam computed tomography (EBT). Anthropometric parameters (height, weight, BMI, sagittal diameter, and waist circumference) were measured using standard techniques. Total percentage body fat was assessed using DXA. Spearman correlations were used to examine the association between the measures. Linear regression, controlling for age, was used to examine the associations between the anthropometric parameters and total and visceral body fat measured by EBT. Results: Correlations among body composition measures ranged from ρ = 0.46 to 0.93 (p < 0.0001). EBT total fat was strongly correlated with both DXA estimates of total percentage fat (ρ = 0.86) and BMI (ρ = 0.89). Separate linear regression models indicated that BMI, waist circumference, sagittal diameter, and DXA total percentage fat were each independently related to EBT total fat. BMI had the strongest linear relationship, explaining 80% of the model variance (p < 0.0001). Linear regression indicated that BMI, waist circumference, and sagittal diameter were each independently related to EBT visceral fat, with BMI and sagittal diameter explaining ～53% of the model variance (p < 0.0001). Discussion: The use of simple anthropometric measures such as BMI, sagittal diameter, and waist circumference may be an appropriate alternative for more expensive techniques when assessing total fat but should be used with caution when estimating visceral body fat.     

Associations between aortic calcification and components of body composition in elderly men

Objective: To investigate associations among body composition, cardiovascular risk factors, and atherosclerosis in middle‐aged and elderly men for the identification of potential pathogenic links. Research Methods and Procedures: The study included 168 white men 44 to 86 years old. Severity of aortic calcification (AC) was graded on lateral radiographs, and body fat and lean mass were measured by DXA. Information on demographic and lifestyle characteristics also was gathered. Results: A strong and independent inverse association was found between AC and peripheral lean mass (PLM), even after adjusting for age and BMI (p < 0.05). Independently of the influence of PLM, AC was directly correlated with truncal fat mass (p < 0.05). Furthermore, AC was inversely associated with tertiles of the free androgen index (p < 0.05). In a multiple regression model, age and serum cholesterol (p < 0.01) contributed directly, and truncal fat mass tended also to contribute directly (p = 0.09), whereas PLM contributed borderline inversely (p = 0.06) to the variation of AC (R = 0.635, p < 0.0001). Discussion: Severity of AC is strongly dependent on age and further modulated by an array of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Sarcopenia and truncal fat mass are reciprocal correlates of atherosclerosis of borderline statistical significance in multivariate models. To clarify whether sarcopenia is an atherogenic risk factor or rather a parallel consequence of low‐grade inflammation also promoting atherogenic trends, further longitudinal studies in larger sample sizes of men and women are needed.     

布朗族成人的身体成分分析

本文采用生物阻抗分析法,研究了布朗族成人的体成分特点。我们在云南省测量了604例(男性248例,女性356例)布朗族成人19项身体成分指标,运用Excel 2003、Spss 19.0对其各项指标进行统计分析。结果显示,男性全身脂肪分布特征为躯干和下肢的脂肪率都大于上肢脂肪率,女性脂肪率从大到小依次为下肢、躯干、上肢;男、女性双侧下肢脂肪率和肌肉量接近,左上肢肌肉量低、脂肪率高;布朗族男性的身高、体质量、肌肉量、推定骨量、总能量代谢、水分率、内脏脂肪等级均大于女性,而体脂率、BMI小于女性。随着年龄的增长,布朗族成人身体肌肉量、骨量、下肢脂肪率、能量代谢等呈明显下降,而内脏脂肪等级明显增加。与云南汉族比较,布朗族成人的体脂率较低、肌肉较发达。     

中国少数民族体成分的变化

本文对中国少数民族23352例（男10070例,女13282例）的体成分进行了分析,以了解中国少数民族脂肪率、肌肉量的现状,探讨体成分随年龄增长的变化规律。研究发现,男性和女性总体上属于超重水平,还没有达到肥胖水平。与南方族群男性相比,北方阿尔泰语系族群的男性四肢脂肪率高、内脏脂肪等级高、水分率低。南方族群中,藏缅语族群、苗瑶语族群、壮侗语族群的四肢脂肪率、内脏脂肪等级、水分率相对接近;南亚语系族群与这3个南方族群差距较大。与南方族群女性相比,北方阿尔泰语系族群的女性躯干、四肢肌肉量大,骨骼重;南方4个族群女性躯干、四肢肌肉量较小,骨骼较轻,骨量、肌肉量彼此接近。随年龄增长,男性骨量下降,水分率增大;上肢脂肪率减小,躯干脂肪率增大,内脏脂肪等级增大,即脂肪向躯干集中,全身总体脂率增大;下肢肌肉量减少,躯干肌肉量下降,最终导致全身总肌肉量下降。随年龄增长,女性上肢的脂肪率和肌肉量没有明显变化,下肢的脂肪率下降,躯干脂肪率和内脏脂肪等级增大,总体脂率增大;躯干肌肉量下降,总肌肉量下降。男性推定骨量下降的节点是50岁,女性是60岁。男性总肌肉量下降的节点是40岁,女性是50岁。男性、女性身体水分率增加的节点都是60岁,内脏脂肪等级增加的节点都是30岁,总脂肪率下降的节点都是60岁,躯干脂肪率增加的节点都是30岁,躯干肌肉量下降的节点都是40岁。研究还发现,体脂率、内脏脂肪等级与血糖呈显著正相关。研究结果反映了中国少数民族从青年到老年的体成分变化的基本规律。     

Comparison of variations between percentage of body fat, body mass index and daily physical activity among young Japanese and Thai female students

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: In our series of investigations concerning the causes of seasonal change in fat accumulation in young university students, we could not find any contribution of seasonal variation in the ratio of carbohydrate and fat metabolism to that of body fat percentage in Japanese and Thai participants. After our previous study, we examined the effect of daily physical activity on body fat percentage to look for the major causes of seasonal change in fat accumulation in young university students. FINDINGS: In this study, we measured participants' (young Japanese and Thai university students) daily physical activity by a uniaxial accelerometer in addition to the measurements of body fat percentage and body mass index by a bioelectrical impedance meter. We found that there was significant and moderate negative correlation between body fat percentage and daily step counts among Japanese but not Thai participants. We observed significant, moderate and positive correlations between the percentage of body fat and body mass index among Japanese and Thai participants. CONCLUSIONS: Daily physical activity plays an important role in the seasonal variation of body fat percentage of Japanese female students. Our present study also confirmed the importance of daily physical activity for controlling body mass index and for the prevention of obesity.     

Quantifying physical functional trajectory in hospitalized older adults using body worn inertial sensors

Acute medical illness requiring hospitalization usually is a critical event in the trajectory leading to disability in older adults. Functional decline frequently occurs during hospitalization, resulting in a loss of Independence in activities of daily living after discharge. The aim of the study was to assess the functional decline in different ADLs of hospitalized elderly patients in an Acute Care for Elderly (ACE) unit incorporating a body-worn inertial sensor and accompanying custom algorithms. 38 hospitalized older adults (age ≥ 75) were included. The patients completed different functional tasks, including a balance test, Gait Velocity Test (GVT), verbal and arithmetic dual-task gait, and a sit-to-stand ability test at admission and discharge. Movement-related parameters were acquired from a unique tri-axial inertial sensor unit. Maximal muscle strength and muscle power output endpoints were also assessed. The results indicated that significant improvements (p < 0.05) were found at discharge compared with the admission values for gait variability and spatiotemporal parameters in the 4- and 6-meter GVT. These significant gains were also obtained in the verbal GVT. In contrast, a significant reduction was found in the functional status measured with the Barthel Index scale. Regarding to the sit-to-stand ability, lower peak power was observed in the sit-to-stand phase of the task at discharge. In conclusion, inertial sensor unit and our custom, validated, algorithms represent a feasible tool for measuring and monitoring functional trajectory during hospitalization in older adults and they are sensitive to detect differences in movement pattern parameters in different ADLs such as walking and the ability to stand from a seated position.     

The use of BMI and waist circumference as surrogates of body fat differs by ethnicity

Objective: To compare the prediction of percentage body fat using BMI and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) using waist circumference (WC) in individuals of Chinese, European, and South Asian origin. Research Methods and Procedures: Healthy men and women of Chinese, European, and South Asian origin (n = 627) between the ages of 30 and 65 years were recruited to ensure equal distribution of gender and representation across BMI ranges (18.5 to 24.9, 25 to 29.9, and ≥30 kg/m²). Participants were assessed for demographics, anthropometry, lifestyle, and regional adiposity. Percentage body fat and VAT were measured by DXA and computer tomography scan, respectively. Results: BMI and WC were highly correlated with total and regional measures of adiposity in each ethnic group. At any BMI, the percentage body fat of Chinese participants was similar to that of Europeans, but that of South Asians was greater by 3.9% (p < 0.001). Above a WC of 71.0 cm, the Chinese participants had an increasingly greater amount of VAT than the Europeans (p = 0.017 for interaction). South Asians had significantly more VAT than the Europeans at all but the most extreme WC (above 105 cm) (p < 0.05). Discussion: Compared with Europeans, percentage body fat was higher for a given BMI in South Asians, whereas VAT was higher for a given WC in both Chinese and South Asian men and women. These findings support the use of ethnic‐specific anthropometric targets.     

Changes in body composition with weight loss: obese subjects randomized to surgical and medical programs

Objective: To assess changes in body composition with weight loss in obese subjects randomized to a laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgical program or a medical program using a very‐low‐energy diet and orlistat. Research Methods and Procedures: Using body composition measurements by DXA, neutron activation for total body nitrogen, and whole body γ counting for total body potassium, we studied changes in fat mass, fat distribution, fat‐free mass, total bone mineral content, total body protein, and body cell mass at 6 (n = 61 paired) and 24 months (n = 53 paired) after randomization. Results: At 24 months, the surgical group had lost significantly more weight (surgical, 20.3 ± 6.5 kg; medical, 5.9 ± 8.0 kg). There was favorable fat‐free mass to fat mass loss ratios for both groups (surgical, 1:5.5; medical, 1:5.9). Changes in total body nitrogen or potassium were favorable in each group. A small reduction in mean bone mineral content occurred throughout the study but was not associated with extent of weight loss or treatment group. At 6 months, weight loss for both groups was similar (surgical, 14.1 ± 4.5 kg; medical, 13.3 ± 7.3 kg). The medical program subjects lost less fat‐free mass and skeletal muscle and had increased total body protein. The proportion of body fat to limb fat remained remarkably constant throughout the study. Discussion: Weight loss programs used in this study induced fat loss without significant deleterious effects on the components of fat‐free mass.     

Body composition and breast cancer in postmenopausal women: a Danish prospective cohort study

Objective: To assess the importance of body fat mass (BFM) and fat free mass (FFM) for the established positive association between BMI and breast cancer among post‐menopausal women. Research Methods and Procedures: A prospective cohort of 23,788 postmenopausal women included in the Danish study Diet, Cancer, and Health during 1993 to 1997 was linked to the Danish Cancer Registry to identify all cases of breast cancer occurring during 1993 to 2002. Breast cancer incidence rate ratios for anthropometric measurements with adjustment for known risk factors for breast cancer were calculated by Cox regression analyses. Results: Among the most commonly used anthropometric measurements, BMI was positively associated with breast cancer among never users of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). By splitting BMI into two indices, BFM index and FFM index, we found that the incidence rate ratio with each 1 kg/m² among never users of HRT was 0.98 (95% confidence interval, 0.93 to 1.03) for BFM index and 1.12 (95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 1.26) for FFM index after mutual adjustment. Discussion: The finding for BMI was in accordance with previous findings. Our results indicate that the FFM component of BMI may play a role for development of breast cancer among never users of HRT.     

Leptin, body composition, adrenal and gonadal hormones among captive male baboons

Morphometric and hormonal measures were collected from 21 captive savanna baboons (Papio cynocephalus) maintained at the Tulane National Primate Research Center in order to determine age-related patterns in leptin levels over the life course as well as their relationships to body composition and adrenal and gonadal steroids. Comparison of leptin levels between peri-pubertal, adolescent, young adult, and fully mature males show lower levels among adolescent as compared with young adult males (P = 0.05 by Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA). In addition, abdominal fat varied among age groups (P = 0.003 by Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA) with the peri-pubertal animals lower than the adolescents, young adults, and prime adults. However leptin was not related to any measure of body composition, including abdominal fat, or to adrenal hormones (dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate, and cortisol) or gonadal hormones (testosterone and estradiol). Age-related changes in leptin appear similar to those reported for captive rhesus macaques, while the failure to find an association between leptin and abdominal fat is interestingly different. These results confirm elevated levels of leptin in captive baboons compared with their wild counterparts and suggest that they result from changes in fetal development.     

Creatine monohydrate and conjugated linoleic acid improve strength and body composition following resistance exercise in older adults

Aging is associated with lower muscle mass and an increase in body fat. We examined whether creatine monohydrate (CrM) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) could enhance strength gains and improve body composition (i.e., increase fat-free mass (FFM); decrease body fat) following resistance exercise training in older adults (>65 y). Men (N = 19) and women (N = 20) completed six months of resistance exercise training with CrM (5g/d)+CLA (6g/d) or placebo with randomized, double blind, allocation. Outcomes included: strength and muscular endurance, functional tasks, body composition (DEXA scan), blood tests (lipids, liver function, CK, glucose, systemic inflammation markers (IL-6, C-reactive protein)), urinary markers of compliance (creatine/creatinine), oxidative stress (8-OH-2dG, 8-isoP) and bone resorption (Nu-telopeptides). Exercise training improved all measurements of functional capacity (P<0.05) and strength (P<0.001), with greater improvement for the CrM+CLA group in most measurements of muscular endurance, isokinetic knee extension strength, FFM, and lower fat mass (P<0.05). Plasma creatinine (P<0.05), but not creatinine clearance, increased for CrM+CLA, with no changes in serum CK activity or liver function tests. Together, this data confirms that supervised resistance exercise training is safe and effective for increasing strength in older adults and that a combination of CrM and CLA can enhance some of the beneficial effects of training over a six-month period. Trial Registration. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00473902.     

Brief communication: Body mass index,body adiposity index,and percent body fat in asians

Human obesity is a growing epidemic throughout the world. Body mass index (BMI) is commonly used as a good indicator of obesity. Body adiposity index (BAI = hip circumference (cm)/stature (m)^1.5 ? 18), as a new surrogate measure, has been proposed recently as an alternative to BMI. This study, for the first time, compares BMI and BAI for predicting percent body fat (PBF; estimated from skinfolds) in a sample of 302 Buryat adults (148 men and 154 women) living in China. The BMI and BAI were strongly correlated with PBF in both men and women. The correlation coefficient between BMI and PBF was higher than that between BAI and PBF for both sexes. For the linear regression analysis, BMI better predicted PBF in both men and women; the variation around the regression lines for each sex was greater for BAI comparisons. For the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the area under the ROC curve for BMI was higher than that for BAI for each sex, which suggests that the discriminatory capacity of the BMI is higher than the one of BAI. Taken together, we conclude that BMI is a more reliable indicator of PBF derived from skinfold thickness in adult Buryats. Am J Phys Anthropol 152:294–299, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.