Skin and subcutaneous adipose tissue weights in older Japanese determined by cadaver dissection

Forty-six embalmed cadavers of elderly Japanese 48 to 95 years of age, 35 males and 10 females, were completely dissected, and the weights of skin and subcutaneous adipose tissue were determined. Absolute and relative skin weight in males (2.68 kg, 5.7%) were similar to those in females (2.73 kg, 6.1%). However, females had more dissectible subcutaneous adipose tissue (5.82 kg, 12.3%) than males (3.18 kg, 6.3%). These figures are comparable to dissection data obtained from embalmed cadavers in Belgium which covered a similar age range. There were statistically significant differences between Japanese and Belgians for body weight and skin weight. However, there was no difference in relative skin weight. Similar sex differences were apparent in the Japanese and Belgians. Skin and subcutaneous adipose tissue weights were significantly correlated with body weight in both sexes. Prediction equations for skin weight (SW) and subcutaneous adipose tissue weight (SATW) from body weight in Japanese are SW (g) = 0.04357 Body weight + 638.3 (r = 0.70; SEE = 386.7 g) (for males and females); SATW (g) = 0.18902 Body weight - 5837.4 (r = 0.78; SEE = 1,328.3 g) (for males); and SATW (g) = 0.36497 Body weight - 10581.5 (r = 0.79; SEE = 2,560.1 g) (for females).