Secular and longitudinal trends in body composition: The Tromsø Study, 2001 to 2016

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Body Composition Analysis

Background:

• Overweight and obesity are significant global health issues.
• Traditional measures of overweight lack body composition assessment.
• Assessing trends in fat mass is crucial for public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze population trends in general and abdominal fat mass over the past two decades.
• To investigate changes in body composition within a general population.
• To identify demographic patterns in fat mass accumulation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Tromsø Study (2001-2016).
• Included participants from three consecutive surveys (Tromsø 5, 6, and 7).
• Employed dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for body composition analysis and generalized estimation equation models.

Main Results:

• Both total body fat mass and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) increased from 2001 to 2016.
• The rate of increase was higher between 2007-2016 compared to 2001-2007.
• Younger age groups (40-49 years), especially women, showed a more pronounced increase in fat mass.

Conclusions:

• General and abdominal fat mass have demonstrably increased in the population over the last 20 years.
• The accelerated increase in fat mass during the last decade and in younger demographics warrants attention.
• Findings underscore the need for updated public health interventions addressing body composition changes.