title: Is a small muscle mass index really detrimental for insulin sensitivity in postmenopausal women of various body composition status?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine if a small muscle mass index (MMI) is actually detrimental for insulin sensitivity when studying a large group of postmenopausal women displaying various body composition statuses and when age and visceral fat mass (VFM) are taken into account.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted in 99 healthy postmenopausal women with a BMI of 28±4 kg/m(2). Fat mass and total fat-free mass (FFM) were obtained from DXA and VFM and MMI were estimated respectively by the equation of Bertin and by: Total FFM (kg)/height (m)(2). Fasting plasma insulin and glucose were obtained to calculate QUICKI and HOMA as an insulin sensitivity index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total MMI and VFM were both significantly inversely correlated with QUICKI and positively with HOMA even when adjusted for VFM. A stepwise linear regression confirmed Total MMI and VFM as independent predictors of HOMA and plasma insulin level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A small muscle mass might not be detrimental for the maintenance of insulin sensitivity and could even be beneficial in sedentary postmenopausal women. The impact of muscle mass loss on insulin sensitivity in older adults needs to be further investigated.
authors.affiliation: Research Centre on Aging, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lebon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aubertin-Leheudre
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bobeuf
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lord
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Labonté
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Dionne
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000368:Aged; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause