title: Required muscle mass for preventing lifestyle-related diseases in Japanese women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since it is essential to maintain a high level of cardiorespiratory fitness to prevent life-style related disease, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan in 2006 proposed to determine the maximal oxygen uptake (Vo2max: mL.kg-1.min-1) reference values to prevent life-style related diseases (LSRD). Since muscle mass is one of the determinant factors of Vo2max, it could be used as the reference parameter for preventing LSRD. The aim of this study was to determine and quantify the muscle mass required to maintain the Vo2max reference values in Japanese women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 403 Japanese women aged 20-69 years were randomly allocated to either a validation or a cross-validation group. In the validation group, a multiple regression equation, which used a set of age and the percentage of muscle mass (%MM, percentage of appendicular lean soft tissue mass to body weight), as independent variables, was derived to estimate the Vo2max. After the equation was cross-validated, data from the two groups were pooled together to establish the final equation. The required %MM for each subject was recalculated by substituting the Vo2max reference values and her age in the final equation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean value of required %MM was identified as (28.5 +/- 0.35%). Thus, the present study proposed the required muscle mass (28.5% per body weight) in Japanese women to maintain the Vo2max reference values determined by the Japanese Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The estimated required %MM (28.5% per body weight) can be used as one of the reference parameters of fitness level in Japanese women.
authors: Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. miyatani.masae@torontorehab.on.ca
authors: Masae
authors: M
authors: Miyatani
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Kawano
authors: Kei
authors: K
authors: Masani
authors: Yuko
authors: Y
authors: Gando
authors: Kenta
authors: K
authors: Yamamoto
authors: Michiya
authors: M
authors: Tanimoto
authors: Taewoong
authors: T
authors: Oh
authors: Chiyoko
authors: C
authors: Usui
authors: Kiyoshi
authors: K
authors: Sanada
authors: Mitsuru
authors: M
authors: Higuchi
authors: Izumi
authors: I
authors: Tabata
authors: Motohiko
authors: M
authors: Miyachi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis