Longitudinal changes in adult fat-free mass: influence of body weight
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Background Almost all of the data on changes in body composition during aging are cross-sectional in nature. These show that fat-free mass (FFM) declines with age. Objective The goal was to analyze results of assays done in the author's laboratory of the FFM of normal adults studied at intervals for >/=2 decades to ascertain longitudinal changes. Design (40)K counting was used to estimate FFM in adult university personnel (15 men, 5 women) over periods ranging from 21 to 38 y. No advice was given about diet or exercise. Results There was considerable variation in the change of FFM over time. Some subjects lost FFM as the years went by, whereas others actually gained FFM. Analysis of the data showed that change in body weight was a prime factor in determining the magnitude and direction of the FFM change (R(2) = 0.54). Adults who maintained their weight lost an average of 1.5 kg FFM per decade and so gained an equal amount of fat; those who lost weight lost even more FFM, whereas those who gained weight either gained FFM or lost it more slowly than the others. Data from the literature confirmed this trend. Conclusions FFM loss is not inevitable during adulthood-at least up to age 81 y, the oldest age yet studied. The magnitude and direction of the FFM change, be it positive or negative, is strongly influenced by change in body weight.
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Weight lost with calorie-restriction-focused interventions was often quickly regained.
“This approach was found to be misleading and potentially detrimental to health due to the fact that substantive reductions in LBM also occurred and weight lost was often quickly regained [3].”
From Body Composition Changes in Weight Loss: Strategies and Supplementation for Maintaining Lean Body Mass, a Brief Review (2018) · cites this paper as [3]
Substantive reductions in lean body mass occurred with calorie-restriction-focused weight loss interventions.
“This approach was found to be misleading and potentially detrimental to health due to the fact that substantive reductions in LBM also occurred and weight lost was often quickly regained [3].”
From Body Composition Changes in Weight Loss: Strategies and Supplementation for Maintaining Lean Body Mass, a Brief Review (2018) · cites this paper as [3]
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- Authors
- Forbes, G. B.
- Affiliations
- University of Rochester Medicine (US)
- Corresponding author
- Forbes, Gilbert B
- Venue
- The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 1999-12
- Volume
- 70
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1025-1031
- ISSN
- 0002-9165 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2116407907
- Cited by
- 183
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 3.28
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Center for Research Resources (RR-00044, M01RR000044)
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (HD-18454, K06HD018454)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nutrition and Health in Aging
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Body Composition Measurement Techniques
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Keywords
- fat-free mass, body composition, weight change, longitudinal change, aging, weight loss, weight gain
- MeSH terms
- Adipose Tissue, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Body Composition, Body Weight, Female, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Scintillation Counting, Linear Models
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