title: Lean Mass and Fat Mass as Contributors to Physical Fitness in an Overweight and Obese African American Population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the association of lean vs fat mass with fitness in healthy, overweight and obese African Americans from families with early-onset coronary disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Baltimore, Maryland.
  
  
  METHODS
  191 healthy, overweight, sedentary African Americans (69% women; aged 44.8 ± 11 years; body mass index 34 ± 5 kg/m2).
  
  
  METHODS
  Anthropometrics, smoking, blood pressure, lipids, c-reactive protein, and glucose were assessed with standard methods; body composition was determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; cardiorespiratory fitness was expressed as VO(2peak) attained during a maximal treadmill test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both men and women, greater lean mass was independently associated with higher VO(2peak) (P < .05) and explained > 21% of the variance in VO(2peak), adjusted for body mass index, fat mass, important covariables, and nonindependence of families.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this cross-sectional study, lean mass was the key determinant of cardiorespiratory fitness, independent of sex, age, and magnitude of obesity. These data provide a strong rationale for examining whether interventions that increase lean mass may also improve fitness, even among high-risk overweight and obese African Americans.
authors.forename: Lisa R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Yanek
authors.forename: Dhananjay
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vaidya
authors.forename: Brian G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Kral
authors.forename: Devon A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Dobrosielski
authors.forename: Taryn F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Moy
authors.forename: Kerry J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Diane M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Becker
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D013851:Thinness / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology