The body composition phenotype of Irish adults aged 18-81 years.
BACKGROUND
Regional distribution of adiposity and lean tissue mass are predictors of health risk that cannot be defined by body mass index but can be attained by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Age and sex-related adult ranges of whole-body and regional adiposity and lean tissue are not available for Irish men and women.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to construct a DXA-based body composition profile of Irish adults, focusing on age- and sex-related difference in total and regional adiposity and lean tissue mass.


METHODS
The study population comprised a convenience sample of 1606 participants, aged 18-81 years participating in the University of Limerick Body Composition study. Data were analysed to construct stature-normalised indices of body fat mass (BFMI), site-specific visceral adiposity, lean tissue mass (LTMI) and appendicular lean tissue mass (ALTMI).


RESULTS
Compared to the young adult (18-29 years), BFMI was higher in women (p < 0.001) but plateaued in men aged >50 years. For men, age-related difference in LTMI was not evident but ALTMI was significantly lower in those >50 years. For women, there was evidence of significantly lower LTMI with advancing age and, similar to men, significantly lower ALTMI in those >50 years.


CONCLUSIONS
These data provide an insight into the age-related anthropometric phenotype of Irish adults. Centile data have been constructed that provide informative data of the age and sex-specific range of adiposity and lean tissue mass. These data may assist in identification of those at risk of aberrant, body composition-related disease.
4i Centre for Interventions in Infection, Inflammation and Immunity, Graduate Entry Medical School, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.|Department of Clinical Therapies, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
C
C
Toomey
4i Centre for Interventions in Infection, Inflammation and Immunity, Graduate Entry Medical School, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.|The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
S
S
Leahy
Department of Clinical Therapies, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
K
K
McCreesh
Department of Clinical Therapies, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
S
S
Coote
4i Centre for Interventions in Infection, Inflammation and Immunity, Graduate Entry Medical School, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland. phil.jakeman@ul.ie.|Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland. phil.jakeman@ul.ie.
P
P
Jakeman
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D055815:Young Adult
Adiposity; Body composition; DXA; Obesity; Sarcopenia; Visceral fat