Predictive value of percentage body fat in aging people with low muscle mass: A 2.2-year longitudinal study

The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of percentage body fat (PBF) in screening for the risk of low muscle mass (LMM) in elderly people.

A prospective study was carried out in Chinese PLA General Hospital with 413 participants who underwent baseline and an average 2.2-year follow-up health check-up examinations.

The average age of the participants at baseline was 63.6 years. The incidence of newly developed LMM was 10.3% in men and 18.2% in women during follow-up. Linear regression demonstrated that baseline PBF were negatively correlated with follow-up total muscle mass index (TMMI) in both men and women (β=-0.124 for men and -0.233 for women, all P < 0.001). The cut-off points of baseline PBF in elderly people for future LMM were 25.45% in men and 30.95% in women and were identified by Receiver Operator Curves (ROC).

Elderly people with a high PBF had a higher risk of new LMM, which suggested that baseline PBF had a close relationship with future LMM and the screening of high PBF should be paid enough attention in health care management in the senior people.