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This Article Full Text (Publish Ahead of Print[PDF]) Supplemental data All Versions of this Article: 90/6/1457    most recent ajcn.2009.28141v1 Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Li, C. Articles by Giles, W. H PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Li, C. Articles by Giles, W. H Agricola Articles by Li, C. Articles by Giles, W. H

Estimates of body composition with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in adults^1,2,3

¹ From the Division of Adult and Community Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.

² The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

³ Address correspondence to C Li, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, MS K66, Atlanta, GA 30341. E-mail: cli{at}cdc.gov.

ABSTRACT

Background: Little is known about the distributions of percentage body fat (PBF), total body fat (TBF), and fat-free mass (FFM) in the adult population in the United States.

Objectives: We sought to estimate the means and percentile cutoffs of PBF, TBF, and FFM and to assess the differences by sex, age, race-ethnicity, and body mass index in US adults.

Design: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which were collected during the 6-y period from 1999 to 2004 and comprise a large nationally representative sample of the US population, were analyzed (n = 6559 men and 6507 nonpregnant women). TBF and FFM were measured by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. PBF was calculated as TBF divided by total mass multiplied by 100.

Results: There were large differences between men and women in unadjusted mean PBF (28.1% compared with 40.0%, P < 0.001), TBF (25.4 compared with 30.8 kg, P < 0.001), and FFM (62.3 compared with 44.0 kg, P < 0.001); the sex differences persisted across all body mass index categories after adjustment for age and race-ethnicity (all P < 0.001). The common percentile cutoffs of PBF, TBF, and FFM were estimated by sex, race-ethnicity, and age groups. Equations for the estimation of PBF (R² = 0.85), TBF (R² = 0.94), and FFM (R² = 0.94) according to demographic characteristics and simple anthropometric measures were generated.

Conclusion: The estimates of means and percentile cutoffs for PBF, TBF, and FFM, on the basis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2004 dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry data, provide a reference in the US adult population.

Received for publication May 28, 2009. Accepted for publication September 12, 2009.