Cited by 274Nutrition and Health in AgingMuscle Physiology and DisordersBody Composition Measurement Techniques

Does the amount of fat mass predict age-related loss of lean mass, muscle strength, and muscle quality in older adults?

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Koster, A., Ding, J., Stenholm, S., Caserotti, P., Houston, D. K., Nicklas, B. J., You, T., Lee, J. S. +9 more·2011·The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences

Abstract

BACKGROUND: An excessive amount of adipose tissue may contribute to sarcopenia and may be one mechanism underlying accelerated loss of muscle mass and strength with aging. We therefore examined the association of baseline total body fat with changes in leg lean mass, muscle strength, and muscle quality over 7 years of follow-up and whether this link was explained by adipocytokines and insulin resistance. METHODS: Data were from 2,307 men and women, aged 70-79 years, participating in the Health, Aging, and Body Composition study. Total fat mass was acquired from dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Leg lean mass was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry in Years 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8. Knee extension strength was measured by isokinetic dynamometer in Years 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8. Muscle quality was calculated as muscle strength divided by leg lean mass. RESULTS: Every SD greater fat mass was related to 1.3 kg more leg lean mass at baseline in men and 1.5 kg in women (p < .01). Greater fat mass was also associated with a greater decline in leg lean mass in both men and women (0.02 kg/year, p < .01), which was not explained by higher levels of adipocytokines and insulin resistance. Larger fat mass was related to significantly greater muscle strength but significantly lower muscle quality at baseline (p < .01). No significant differences in decline of muscle strength and quality were found. CONCLUSIONS: High fatness was associated with lower muscle quality, and it predicts accelerated loss of lean mass. Prevention of greater fatness in old age may decrease the loss of lean mass and maintain muscle quality and thereby reducing disability and mobility impairments.

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Authors
Koster, A., Ding, J., Stenholm, S., Caserotti, P., Houston, D. K., Nicklas, B. J., You, T., Lee, J. S., Visser, M., Newman, A. B., Schwartz, A. V., Cauley, J. A., Tylavsky, F. A., Goodpaster, B. H., Kritchevsky, S. B., Harris, T. B., & study, F. T. H. A.
Affiliations
  • National Institutes of Health (US)
  • Wake Forest University Health Sciences (US)
  • Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (FI)
  • University at Buffalo, State University of New York (US)
  • University of Georgia (US)
  • Amsterdam Public Health (NL)
  • University of Pittsburgh (US)
  • University of California, San Francisco (US)
  • University of Tennessee Health Science Center (US)
  • University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (US)
Venue
The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
Published
2011-05-13
Volume
66A
Issue
8
Pages
888-895
ISSN
  • 1079-5006 (ISSN-L)
  • 1758-535X
OpenAlex
W2151930815
Cited by
274
References
42
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 33 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 11
FWCI
10.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Journals of Gerontology Series A (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (publishedVersion)
  • Amsterdam UMC (VU Amsterdam) - Institutional Repository (publishedVersion)
  • VU Research Portal (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • D-Scholarship@Pitt (University of Pittsburgh) (acceptedVersion)
  • Research Publications (Maastricht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Digital Academic REpository of VU University Amsterdam (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) (submittedVersion)
  • University of Southern Denmark Research Portal (University of Southern Denmark) (submittedVersion)
  • STM:n Hallinnonalan avoin julkaisuarkisto (Julkari) (submittedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (N01-AG-6-2103, n01ag062101-007, n01ag062103-006, N01‐AG‐6‐2106, n01ag062106-007, UL1TR000005, N01-AG-6-2101)
  • National Institute on Aging (N01‐AG‐6–2101, N01AG62106, N01-AG-62103, P30AG028740)
  • National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nutrition and Health in Aging
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Muscle Physiology and Disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Body Composition Measurement Techniques
Keywords
fat mass, sarcopenia, lean mass loss, muscle strength, muscle quality, older adults, adipokines, insulin resistance, aging, leg lean mass, quadriceps strength
MeSH terms
Accidental Falls, Adipose Tissue, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Arm, Body Weight, Distance Perception, Female, Humans, Judgment, Male, Motor Activity, Organ Size, Predictive Value of Tests, Prospective Studies, Psychomotor Performance, Thinness, Cohort Studies, Incidence, Muscle, Skeletal, Muscle Strength

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