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High body fatness, but not low fat-free mass, predicts disability in older men and women: the Cardiovascular Health Study.
Tuesday,2012-11-06 12:27 America/Los_Angeles — eenright
| Title | High body fatness, but not low fat-free mass, predicts disability in older men and women: the Cardiovascular Health Study. |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 1998 |
| Authors | Visser, M, Langlois, J, Guralnik, JM, Cauley, JA, Kronmal, RA, Robbins, J, Williamson, JD, Harris, TB |
| Journal | Am J Clin Nutr |
| Volume | 68 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pagination | 584-90 |
| Date Published | 1998 Sep |
| ISSN | 0002-9165 |
| Keywords | Adipose Tissue, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Body Composition, Cross-Sectional Studies, Disability Evaluation, Female, Geriatric Assessment, Health Surveys, Humans, Male, Obesity, Predictive Value of Tests, Walking |
| Abstract | <p>Using data from the Cardiovascular Health Study, we studied the relation between body composition (fat mass and fat-free mass, assessed by bioelectrical impedance) and self-reported, mobility-related disability (difficulty walking or stair climbing) in 2714 women and 2095 men aged 65-100 y. In a cross-sectional analysis at baseline (1989-1990), disability was reported by 26.5% of the women and 16.9% of the men. A positive association was observed between fat mass and disability. The odds ratio for disability in the highest quintile of fat mass was 3.04 (95% CI: 2.18, 4.25) for women and 2.77 (95% CI: 1.82, 4.23) for men compared with those in the lowest quintile. Low fat-free mass was not associated with a higher prevalence of disability. In a longitudinal analysis among persons not reporting disability at baseline, 20.3% of the women and 14.8% of the men reported disability 3 y later. Fat mass at baseline was predictive of disability 3 y later, with odds ratios of 2.83 (95% CI: 1.80, 4.46) for women and 1.72 (95% CI: 1.03, 2.85) for men in the highest quintile of fat. The increased risk was not explained by age, physical activity, chronic disease, or other potential confounders. Low fat-free mass was not predictive of disability. The results showed that high body fatness is an independent predictor of mobility-related disability in older men and women. These findings suggest that high body fatness in old age should be avoided to decrease the risk of disability.</p> |
| DOI | 10.1093/ajcn/68.3.584 |
| Alternate Journal | Am. J. Clin. Nutr. |
| PubMed ID | 9734734 |