BACKGROUND: Aging is associated with significant changes in body composition. Body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)) is not an accurate indicator of overweight and obesity in the elderly. OBJECTIVE: We examined the relation between other anthropometric indexes of body composition (both muscle mass and body fat) and all-cause mortality in men aged 60-79 y. DESIGN: The study was a prospective study of 4107 men aged 60-79 y with no diagnosis of heart failure and who were followed for a mean period of 6 y, during which time there were 713 deaths. RESULTS: Underweight men (BMI < 18.5) had exceptionally high mortality rates. After the exclusion of these men, increased adiposity [BMI, waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-hip ratio] showed little relation with mortality after adjustment for lifestyle characteristics. Muscle mass [indicated by midarm muscle circumference (MAMC)] was significantly and inversely associated with mortality. After adjustment for MAMC, obesity markers, particularly high WC (>102 cm) and waist-to-hip ratio (top quartile), were associated with increased mortality. A composite measure of MAMC and WC most effectively predicted mortality. Men with low WC (</=102 cm) and above-median muscle mass showed the lowest mortality risk. Men with WC > 102 cm and above-median muscle mass showed significantly increased mortality [age-adjusted relative risk: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.07, 1.74), and this increased to 1.55 (95% CI: 1.01, 2.39) in those with WC > 102 and low MAMC. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that the combined use of both WC and MAMC provides simple measures of body composition to assess mortality risk in older men.
BACKGROUND: Aging is associated with significant changes in body composition. Body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)) is not an accurate indicator of overweight and obesity in the elderly. OBJECTIVE: We examined the relation between other anthropometric indexes of body composition (both muscle mass and body fat) and all-cause mortality in men aged 60-79 y. DESIGN: The study was a prospective study of 4107 men aged 60-79 y with no diagnosis of heart failure and who were followed for a mean period of 6 y, during which time there were 713 deaths. RESULTS: Underweight men (BMI < 18.5) had exceptionally high mortality rates. After the exclusion of these men, increased adiposity [BMI, waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-hip ratio] showed little relation with mortality after adjustment for lifestyle characteristics. Muscle mass [indicated by midarm muscle circumference (MAMC)] was significantly and inversely associated with mortality. After adjustment for MAMC, obesity markers, particularly high WC (>102 cm) and waist-to-hip ratio (top quartile), were associated with increased mortality. A composite measure of MAMC and WC most effectively predicted mortality. Men with low WC (</=102 cm) and above-median muscle mass showed the lowest mortality risk. Men with WC > 102 cm and above-median muscle mass showed significantly increased mortality [age-adjusted relative risk: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.07, 1.74), and this increased to 1.55 (95% CI: 1.01, 2.39) in those with WC > 102 and low MAMC. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that the combined use of both WC and MAMC provides simple measures of body composition to assess mortality risk in older men.
Authors: M Sánchez-López; F B Ortega; P Moya-Martínez; S López-Martínez; I Ortiz-Galeano; M A Gómez-Marcos; M Sjöström; V Martínez-Vizcaíno Journal: Eur J Nutr Date: 2012-04-07 Impact factor: 5.614
Authors: Elina Sillanpää; David E Laaksonen; Arja Häkkinen; Laura Karavirta; Benjamin Jensen; William J Kraemer; Kai Nyman; Keijo Häkkinen Journal: Eur J Appl Physiol Date: 2009-03-06 Impact factor: 3.078
Authors: Amy L Anderson; Tamara B Harris; Denise K Houston; Frances A Tylavsky; Jung Sun Lee; Deborah E Sellmeyer; Nadine R Sahyoun Journal: Eur J Nutr Date: 2010-02-21 Impact factor: 5.614