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Impact of Fat-Free Adipose Tissue on the Prevalence of Low Muscle Mass Estimated Using Calf Circumference in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

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Abstract

Previous studies proposed calf circumference cutoff values for predicting dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-derived low muscle mass. However, DXA-derived appendicular lean mass (aLM) includes non-skeletal muscle components such as the appendicular fat-free component of adipose tissue fat cells (aFFAT). The purpose of this study was to compare the calf circumference method of classification before (Model #1) and after (Model #2) eliminating the influence of FFAT in healthy Japanese adults (50 to 79 years; mean age 70 (SD 7) years). Model 1, and Model 2 for classifying low muscle mass had a sensitivity of 78% and 64%, specificity of 76% and 75%, positive predictive value of 31% and 28%, and negative predictive value of 96% and 93%, respectively. Appendicular fat-free component of adipose tissue has the potential to influence the ability of calf circumference to accurately classify individuals with low muscle mass. Consideration should be made when using this as a screening tool for low muscle mass.

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Acknowledgements

Our appreciation is extended to the volunteers who participated in this study. We also thank the graduate students for their assistance in the testing of this study.

Funding

Funding: This study received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health, Exercise Science, & Recreation Management, Kevser Ermin Applied Physiology Laboratory, The University of Mississippi, University, MS, 38677, USA

    Takashi Abe, Z. W. Bell, R. W. Spitz, V. Wong, R. B. Viana & J. P. Loenneke

  2. Department of Health and Exercise Science, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, 08028, USA

    S. J. Dankel

  3. Department of Sports and Life Sciences, National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya, Kagoshima, Japan

    E. Fujita, Y. Yaginuma & T. Akamine

  4. Faculty of Physical Education and Dance, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil

    R. B. Viana

Authors
  1. Takashi Abe
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  2. S. J. Dankel
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  3. Z. W. Bell
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  4. E. Fujita
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  5. Y. Yaginuma
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  6. T. Akamine
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  7. R. W. Spitz
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  8. V. Wong
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  9. R. B. Viana
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  10. J. P. Loenneke
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Takashi Abe.

Ethics declarations

Ethics declaration: All experimental procedures were conducted in accordance with the guidelines in the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the university’s institutional review board.

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Conflict of Interest: No conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise, are disclosed by the authors.

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Abe, T., Dankel, S.J., Bell, Z.W. et al. Impact of Fat-Free Adipose Tissue on the Prevalence of Low Muscle Mass Estimated Using Calf Circumference in Middle-Aged and Older Adults. J Frailty Aging 9, 90–93 (2020). https://doi.org/10.14283/jfa.2019.34

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.14283/jfa.2019.34

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