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Truncal Adiposity and Lung Function in Older Black Women

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Abstract

The increase in adiposity associated with aging is a concern in older adults, especially as it relates to the risk for ventilatory complications. Therefore, the specific aim of this study was to determine the association of various measures of abdominal adiposity with lung function in a sample of older healthy Black women. Participants (n = 27) had no history of diabetes or respiratory disease. The mean age was 67 years. Lung function was measured by spirometry using percent of predicted values for forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1). Body fat was measured using a three-dimensional photonic scanner and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Correlation analyses show that percent body fat in the trunk (%TF) is significantly associated with percent predicted FVC (r = −0.38; p < 0.05). No association was observed between anthropometric indices of truncal adiposity and lung function. Results of this study show that truncal fat mass measured by DXA is more strongly associated with lung function than anthropometric indices of truncal adiposity in this sample of women.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Ms. Yim Dam and Ms. Ping Zhou from the Hormone and Metabolite Core Lab of the New York Obesity Research Center for their diligence in analysis of the serum samples. They also thank the Pulmonary Function Technician, Ms. Priscilla Bracero, from the St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Pulmonary and Critical Care lab for her contribution to this study. This study was supported by the Columbia Center for the Active Life of Minority Elders (AG15294) while Dr. Chambers was working at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family and Social Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Mazer 111, Bronx, New York, 10461, USA

    Earle C. Chambers

  2. New York Obesity Research Center, St. Luke’s–Roosevelt Hospital, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1090 Amsterdam Ave., New York, New York, 10025, USA

    Stanley Heshka, Lisl Y. Huffaker, Yer Xiong, Jack Wang, Dympna Gallagher & F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer

  3. Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, St. Luke’s–Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1111 Amsterdam Ave., New York, New York, 10025, USA

    Edward Eden

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  1. Earle C. Chambers
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  2. Stanley Heshka
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  3. Lisl Y. Huffaker
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  4. Yer Xiong
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  5. Jack Wang
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  6. Edward Eden
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  7. Dympna Gallagher
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  8. F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer
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Correspondence to Earle C. Chambers.

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Chambers, E.C., Heshka, S., Huffaker, L.Y. et al. Truncal Adiposity and Lung Function in Older Black Women. Lung 186, 13–17 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-007-9043-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-007-9043-9

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