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Direct relationship of body mass index and waist circumference with body tissue distribution in elderly persons

  • BMI and Adiposity in the Elderly
  • Published:
The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objectives

To explore the relationship of BMI and WC with muscle/adipose tissue mass ratios and with trunk adipose tissue distribution, based on an anatomical 5-compartment model, by dissection of cadavers of elderly persons.

Design

Cross-sectional explorative study.

Setting

Brussels Cadaver Analysis Study.

Participants

Cadavers of twenty-nine white Caucasian elderly persons (17 females and 12 males, aged 78,1±6,9 years).

Measurements

Whole body and trunk composition were determined at the anatomical tissue-system level by direct dissection.

Results

BMI and WC were significantly and positively related to absolute tissue masses in both sexes. Muscle tissue mass, adipose tissue mass and trunk internal adipose tissue mass correlated better with BMI (r-values between 0.68 and 0.89) than with WC (r-values between 0.49 and 0.71). BMI was significantly and inversely related with various muscle/adipose tissue ratios in both sexes (r-values between −0.54 and −0.68). WC correlated with muscle/adipose tissue ratios in females only (r-values between −0.55 and −0.64). BMI was also significantly related to trunk adipose tissue distribution in elderly females, but not in males. When comparing individual tissue proportions within and between adjacent BMI-classifications or WC categories, body composition varied considerably.

Conclusion

Our results show that BMI and WC are significantly related with adipose tissue mass and with several ratios of muscle to adipose tissue in elderly subjects. However, cautious clinical interpretation is warranted since important differences in tissue mass proportions were found in subjects with similar BMI and/or WC values.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Experimental Anatomy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090, Brussels, Belgium

    Aldo Scafoglieri, S. Provyn, P. Van Roy & J. P. Clarys

  2. Frailty in Ageing research department (FRIA), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090, Brussels, Belgium

    I. Bautmans

  3. Experimental Anatomy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090, Brussels, Belgium, Building B-037

    Aldo Scafoglieri

Authors
  1. Aldo Scafoglieri
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  2. S. Provyn
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  3. I. Bautmans
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  4. P. Van Roy
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  5. J. P. Clarys
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Correspondence to Aldo Scafoglieri.

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Scafoglieri, A., Provyn, S., Bautmans, I. et al. Direct relationship of body mass index and waist circumference with body tissue distribution in elderly persons. J Nutr Health Aging 15, 924–931 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-010-0272-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-010-0272-x

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