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Decellularization-Based Quantification of Skeletal Muscle Fatty Infiltration
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Age-related changes in total and regional fat distribution
Jennifer L Kuk1, Travis J Saunders, Lance E Davidson
1School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Ageing Research Reviews
|July 7, 2009
Summary
Aging alters body composition, increasing abdominal fat and decreasing lower body fat. These changes, independent of weight, raise health risks like insulin resistance and fractures in older adults.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Body Composition Analysis
- Metabolic Health
Background:
- Aging is linked to significant shifts in body fat distribution, notably increased abdominal and visceral fat.
- Reduced lower body subcutaneous fat is also a common age-related change.
- These body composition alterations can occur irrespective of overall adiposity or weight.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review age-related changes in total and regional body fat distribution.
- To discuss the health implications of these compositional shifts.
- To evaluate anthropometric methods for assessing these changes.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on aging and body composition.
- Analysis of age-associated fat deposition in various tissues (e.g., visceral, bone marrow).
- Discussion of anthropometric measurement techniques and their limitations.
Main Results:
- Aging promotes a shift towards increased visceral fat and decreased subcutaneous fat, particularly in the lower body.
- Fat accumulation in organs like the heart, liver, and muscle increases risks for insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease.
- Increased bone marrow fat in the elderly contributes to fracture risk beyond low bone mineral density.
Conclusions:
- Age-related body composition changes, especially fat redistribution, are critical determinants of health and mortality risk.
- These changes impact metabolic and cardiovascular health, as well as skeletal integrity.
- Current anthropometric measures may not fully capture these nuanced body composition shifts, highlighting the need for advanced assessment methods.
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