body mass index is used widely to define overweight and obesity. Both high and low body mass indices are associated with increased mortality risk during middle age, but the relationship is less clear in later life. Thus, studies on the relationships between other aspects of body composition and mortality among older subjects are needed.
to investigate associations between different aspects of body composition and mortality in older people.
the study population comprised 921 participants aged =65 years who underwent dual-energy X-ray (DXA) absorptiometric examination at the Sports Medicine Unit, Umeå University. The main reason for admission was clinical suspicion of osteoporosis. Total, abdominal and gynoid fat masses and lean body mass were measured by DXA absorptiometry at baseline, and the cohort was followed (mean duration, 9.2 years) for mortality events.
during follow-up, 397 participants died. Lean mass was associated negatively with mortality in men and women (P