Body fat and muscle thickness distributions in untrained young females

Brightness-mode (B-mode) ultrasound was used to measure fat and muscle thicknesses on 44 untrained females (age = 18-29 yr, body density = 1.050 +/- 0.009 (SD)g.ml-1, %fat = 21.5 +/- 4.1%) at eight sites (triceps, biceps, forearm, subscapular, abdomen, quadriceps, hamstrings, and posterior calf). The correlation coefficients between fat and muscle thickness were not significant at any measurement site except for the triceps (r = -0.32, P < 0.05). Intercorrelation analyses among the eight sites were significant (P < 0.05) in almost all cases for fat thickness, while mainly between adjoining sites for muscle thickness. However, both tissues had a low degree of generality in thickness among sites. Fat thickness at all measurement sites was significantly correlated with body density except for the posterior calf; the best correlation was found with the quadriceps (r = -0.73). On the other hand, for muscle thickness, only the forearm and triceps were significantly correlated with body density. These results show 1) the extent of muscled and fat thicknesses are independent each of other within the same region, 2) fat and muscle thicknesses have a high degree of specificity in site distribution, and 3) fat thickness measurements determined from B-mode ultrasound may be of significant value assessing total body composition.