The meaning and measurement of lean body mass
Abstract
Methods of measuring lean body mass have evolved greatly in the past decade. Because all practical methods of measurement are indirect (i.e., not involving carcass analysis), appropriate models of body composition must be applied. Today's improved precision is due both to better instrumentation and to improved models based on partition of the body into its constituent compartments. With this improved methodology has come the recognition that loss of lean body mass is associated with survival in starvation, acute illness, and aging. In addition, correlations of lean body mass with immune competence and functional status are beginning to emerge. It remains to be proven that changes in lean body mass in aging and disease independently determine outcome. Interventions that preserve or normalize lean body mass could be important for preservation of vigorous functional status.
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Lean body mass is essential for evaluating muscle health and overall metabolic function.
“Lean body mass, essential for evaluating muscle health and overall metabolic function, measures the body’s mass excluding fat and can be assessed through DEXA scans, hydrostatic weighing, and bioelectrical impedance analysis [70].”
From Advantages and Limitations of the Body Mass Index (BMI) to Assess Adult Obesity (2024) · cites this paper as [70]
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“Lean body mass, essential for evaluating muscle health and overall metabolic function, measures the body’s mass excluding fat and can be assessed through DEXA scans, hydrostatic weighing, and bioelectrical impedance analysis [70].”
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- Authors
- Roubenoff, R., & Kehayias, J. J.
- Affiliations
- Tufts University (US)
- ORCID
- Roubenoff, Ronenn
- Venue
- Nutrition Reviews
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2009-04-27
- Volume
- 49
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 163-175
- ISSN
- 0029-6643 (ISSN-L)
- 1753-4887
- OpenAlex
- W2130681686
- Cited by
- 218
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 1.13
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Nutrition Reviews (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (1f32dk008443-01)
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (DK-08443)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Body Composition Measurement Techniques
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nutrition and Health in Aging
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Keywords
- lean body mass, body composition, body compartments, starvation, acute illness, aging, immunocompetence, functional status, muscle mass preservation
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Anthropometry, Body Composition, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Models, Biological
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