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Body composition in normal black women: the four-compartment model
1Department of Medicine, Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, New York Brookhaven National Laboratories, Upton 11501, USA.
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
|June 1, 1996
Summary
This study established body composition norms for healthy Black women using a four-compartment model. Findings reveal significant age-related changes in protein, mineral, fat, and water, crucial for assessing health deviations.
Area of Science:
- Human body composition research
- Nutritional science and metabolism
- Biomedical engineering and instrumentation
Background:
- Accurate body composition assessment is vital for understanding health and disease.
- Normative data for diverse populations, like Black women, are essential for clinical applications.
- Previous studies often lacked comprehensive, multi-compartment analyses in this demographic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop normative data for a four-compartment body composition model in healthy Black women.
- To establish reference ranges for assessing deviations in illness.
- To investigate the influence of age and menopausal status on body composition.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a four-compartment model with independent measurement techniques: tritiated water dilution (body water), prompt-gamma neutron activation analysis (protein/nitrogen), inelastic neutron scattering (carbon), and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (calcium/mineral).
- Studied 112 healthy Black women with a mean age of 43.2 years.
- Employed linear regression models to analyze age, body size, and menopausal status effects.
Main Results:
- Established mean values for protein (9.6 kg), mineral (3.0 kg), fat (24.2 kg), and water (33.1 kg).
- All compartments showed significant age-related changes (P < .0001), with declines in water, mineral, and protein, and a linear increase in fat.
- Postmenopausal status significantly impacted only the mineral compartment. Black women exhibited higher protein, mineral, and water mass compared to white women, controlling for body weight and age.
Conclusions:
- Developed validated equations and graphs for assessing body composition in Black women, applicable to both healthy and ill individuals.
- Age-adjusted and size-adjusted normative data provide a valuable tool for clinical assessment.
- While statistically significant, observed racial differences in body composition were not large in magnitude, highlighting the need for population-specific reference data.