title: Alterations of body mass index and body composition in atomic bomb survivors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obesity, underweight, sarcopenia and excess accumulation of abdominal fat are associated with a risk of death and adverse health outcomes. Our aim was to determine whether body mass index (BMI) and body composition, assessed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), are associated with radiation exposure among atomic bomb (A-bomb) survivors.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Adult Health Study of the Radiation Effects Research Foundation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 2686 subjects (834 men and 1852 women), aged 48-89 years (0-40 years at A-bomb exposure), for BMI analysis. Among them, 550 men and 1179 women underwent DXA in 1994-1996 and were eligible for a body composition study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After being adjusted for age and other potential confounding factors, A-bomb radiation dose was associated significantly and negatively with BMI in both sexes (P=0.01 in men, P=0.03 in women) and appendicular lean mass (P<0.001 in men, P=0.05 in women). It was positively associated with trunk-to-limb fat ratio in women who were less than 15 years old at the time of exposure (P=0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study to report a significant dose response for BMI and body composition 50 years after A-bomb radiation exposure. We will need to conduct further studies to evaluate whether these alterations affect health status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Studies, Radiation Effects Research Foundation, Hiroshima, Japan. tktatsu@rerf.or.jp
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tatsukawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Misumi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Masunari
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oyama
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukunaga
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
mesh_terms: D050153:Abdominal Fat; D000016:Abnormalities, Radiation-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001822:Body Burden; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D054043:Nuclear Weapons; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*