Variations in percentage of body fat within different BMI groups in young, middle-aged and old women.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the present study was to characterize age-dependent variations in percentage of body fat within different body mass index (BMI) classes in healthy Danish women.


METHODS
Cross-sectional analysis.


METHODS
The study was done at the Center for Clinical and Basic Research, Ballerup, Denmark.


METHODS
Four hundred and four healthy women aged 18-75 years were included in the present study.


METHODS
Fat tissue mass was estimated using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Menopausal status and physical characteristics were also registered.


RESULTS
Mean values of percentage of body fat calculated in the normal and overweight BMI groups were higher in middle-aged and old women compared with young women. No significant differences were seen in the underweight and obese BMI groups. The cut-off levels between normal and overweight and between overweight and obesity were 35-43% and 40-50%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The percentage of body fat is dependent on both age and menopausal status within each of the following BMI classes: from 20 to 25 and from 25 to 30, further emphasizing that BMI has limitations when used generally as an indicator of body fatness, and argues for defining BMI cut-off values age-specifically.
Movsesyan
Lusine
L
Center for Clinical and Basic Research A/S, Ballerup Byvej, Ballerup, Denmark.
Tankó
László B
LB
Larsen
Philip J
PJ
Christiansen
Claus
C
Svendsen
Ole L
OL
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D016387:Women's Health