VARIATION IN BODY COMPOSITION PATTERNS ACROSS AGE GROUPS IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE INDIVIDUALS
Keywords:
BMI; DXA; body composition; body fat; central obesity; lifespan; overweight; sarcopeniaAbstract
The changes in body composition (BC) among individuals with overweight or obesity are not well understood. This study aimed to examine how BC patterns differ in this population based on age and gender. Materials and methods. The study included 106 adults, both male and female, with a body mass index (BMI) of ≥25 kg/m², who underwent BC assessments using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Participants were divided into three age categories: 'young' (20-39 years), 'middle-aged' (40-59 years), and 'older' (60-80 years), while controlling for body weight and BMI. Results revealed that males had a higher total body fat percentage (BF%) and lower total lean mass (LM), with these differences becoming more pronounced from the young to the older age groups. In contrast, females showed consistent values for these measurements across the age groups. However, both genders in the middle-aged and older groups had a significantly higher trunk fat percentage (+1.23% to +4.21%) and lower appendicular lean mass (ALM) (-0.81 kg to -2.63 kg) compared to the young group, suggesting increased central adiposity and sarcopenia. Conclusion. These findings highlight the limitations of using BMI alone to detect age-related differences in body composition and underscore the need for more effective tools to assess these changes. Additionally, further research is needed to understand how these variations in BC patterns across age and gender impact health outcomes.
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