Abstract
Background Mexico is a country that is rich in ethnicity and cultural diversity, divided into three well-defined socioeconomic, ecological, and epidemiological areas. However, we do not know the influence that these factors may have on body composition. Therefore, this study was designed to assess body composition and compare appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) in older people from two areas of the country. Methods This is a cross-sectional study that included 430 subjects ≥60 years of age from northwestern and central Mexico. Body composition, including ASM, was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, while anthropometry, handgrip strength, demographic variables, health status/chronic conditions, and energy expenditure data were all included. Results Men and women from the northwestern region had 5.9 kg and 3.8 kg more body fat, respectively, and 3.9 kg more as a group than their counterparts from central Mexico (p ≤ 0.0001). While there were no significant differences across gender or region in terms of ASM, the older subjects from central Mexico had a significantly higher ASM index (ASMI) than the sample from the northwest. When ASM was adjusted for age, body weight, height, health status/chronic conditions, estimated energy expenditure, and demographic variables, the subjects from central Mexico had significantly higher adjusted mean values of ASM and ASMI than their counterparts from the northwest. Conclusion Older people from two regions of Mexico had significantly different estimates of body composition. Our findings highlight the importance of regionalizing estimates of ASM and ASMI if they are to be used for diagnostic purposes. It is also important to emphasize that appendicular skeletal muscle mass, or the ASM index, should be adjusted for other associated biological variables.
Highlights
Age-related changes in body composition, including a decrease in fat-free mass [1, 2], an increase in body fat compartment [2], and the loss of skeletal muscle [3], have been shown to be strongly associated with a greater risk of functional disability, including impaired physical performance [4,5,6]
Body fat BioMed Research International mass (BFM) divided for the height can be an adequate marker of overweightness and obesity in American populations [7], while total or appendicular skeletal muscle (ASM) divided by height squared can be used as markers of sarcopenia [8]
These findings demonstrate the need to adjust body composition parameters for better clinical interpretation and comparison and underscore the need to consider age, gender, ethnicity, and body weight, and height when focusing on the skeletal muscle component [3, 9]
Summary
Age-related changes in body composition, including a decrease in fat-free mass [1, 2], an increase in body fat compartment [2], and the loss of skeletal muscle [3], have been shown to be strongly associated with a greater risk of functional disability, including impaired physical performance [4,5,6]. Body fat BioMed Research International mass (BFM) divided for the height can be an adequate marker of overweightness and obesity in American populations [7], while total or appendicular skeletal muscle (ASM) divided by height squared (i.e., the ASM index or ASMI) can be used as markers of sarcopenia [8] These findings demonstrate the need to adjust body composition parameters for better clinical interpretation and comparison and underscore the need to consider age, gender, ethnicity, and body weight, and height when focusing on the skeletal muscle component [3, 9]. When ASM was adjusted for age, body weight, height, health status/chronic conditions, estimated energy expenditure, and demographic variables, the subjects from central Mexico had significantly higher adjusted mean values of ASM and ASMI than their counterparts from the northwest. It is important to emphasize that appendicular skeletal muscle mass, or the ASM index, should be adjusted for other associated biological variables
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