title: Sex- and age-specific percentiles of body composition indices for Chinese adults using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of the study were to develop sex- and age-specific percentiles for lean mass index (LMI), appendicular LMI (aLMI), fat mass index (FMI), and body fat distribution indices in Chinese adults using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and to compare those indices with those of other ethnicities using the US NHANES data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Whole-body and regional lean mass and fat mass (FM) were measured using DXA in 5688 healthy males (n = 1693) and females (n = 3995) aged 20-90 years. Body fat distribution indices were expressed as % fat trunk/% fat legs, trunk/appendicular FM ratio (FMR), and android/gynoid FMR. Percentile curves of LMI, aLMI, FMI, and body fat distribution indices were obtained by the Lambda-Mu-Sigma method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The aLMI and LMI were negatively associated with age, decreasing from the fifth decade for males, but were not associated with age in females. Females had more total FM than males, whereas males had greater central adiposity (% fat trunk/% fat legs ratio, trunk/appendicular FMR, and android/gynoid FMR) than females. Moreover, FMI and body fat distribution indices consistently increased with age in both sexes, especially in women. In comparison with white, black, and Mexican populations in the USA, Chinese adults had lower total FM, but had greater central adiposity (% fat trunk/% fat legs ratio and trunk/appendicular FMR). Additionally, older white and Mexican populations showed greater decreases for aLMI and LMI than their Chinese counterparts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We present the sex- and age-specific percentiles for aLMI, LMI, FMI, and body fat distribution indices by DXA in Chinese adults, which may refine the individual assessment of the nutritional status of Chinese adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Zeyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yongjin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jingjie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China. txh@jnu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D001823:Body Composition; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015519:Bone Density; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Body composition; Body fat distribution; Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; Nutritional assessment; Percentile curves