Abstract
Using data from the Cardiovascular Health Study, we studied the relation between body composition (fat mass and fat-free mass, assessed by bioelectrical impedance) and self-reported, mobility-related disability (difficulty walking or stair climbing) in 2714 women and 2095 men aged 65- 100 y. In a cross-sectional analysis at baseline (1989-1990), disability was reported by 26.5% of the women and 16.9% of the men. A positive association was observed between fat mass and disability. The odds ratio for disability in the highest quintile of fat mass was 3.04 (95% CI: 2.18, 4.25) for women and 2.77 (95% CI: 1.82, 4.23) for men compared with those in the lowest quintile. Low fat-free mass was not associated with a higher prevalence of disability. In a longitudinal analysis among persons not reporting disability at baseline, 20.3% of the women and 14.8% of the men reported disability 3 y later. Fat mass at baseline was predictive of disability 3 y later, with odds ratios of 2.83 (95% CI: 1.80, 4.46) for women and 1.72 (95% CI: 1.03, 2.85) for men in the highest quintile of fat. The increased risk was not explained by age, physical activity, chronic disease, or other potential confounders. Low fat-free mass was not predictive of disability. The results showed that high body fatness is an independent predictor of mobility-related disability in older men and women. These findings suggest that high body fatness in old age should be avoided to decrease the risk of disability.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 584-590 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | American Journal of Clinical Nutrition |
| Volume | 68 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| State | Published - Sep 1998 |
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Keywords
- Bioelectrical impedance
- Body composition
- Body fat
- Cardiovascular Health Study
- Disability
- Elderly
- Fat mass
- Fat-free mass
- Humans
- Obesity
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine (miscellaneous)
- Nutrition and Dietetics
Cite this
High body fatness, but not low fat-free mass, predicts disability in older men and women : The cardiovascular health study. / Visser, Marjolein; Langlois, Jean; Guralnik, Jack M.; Cauley, Jane A.; Kronmal, Richard A.; Robbins, John; Williamson, Jeff D.; Harris, Tamara B.
In: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 68, No. 3, 09.1998, p. 584-590.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - High body fatness, but not low fat-free mass, predicts disability in older men and women
T2 - The cardiovascular health study
AU - Visser, Marjolein
AU - Langlois, Jean
AU - Guralnik, Jack M.
AU - Cauley, Jane A.
AU - Kronmal, Richard A.
AU - Robbins, John
AU - Williamson, Jeff D.
AU - Harris, Tamara B.
PY - 1998/9
Y1 - 1998/9
N2 - Using data from the Cardiovascular Health Study, we studied the relation between body composition (fat mass and fat-free mass, assessed by bioelectrical impedance) and self-reported, mobility-related disability (difficulty walking or stair climbing) in 2714 women and 2095 men aged 65- 100 y. In a cross-sectional analysis at baseline (1989-1990), disability was reported by 26.5% of the women and 16.9% of the men. A positive association was observed between fat mass and disability. The odds ratio for disability in the highest quintile of fat mass was 3.04 (95% CI: 2.18, 4.25) for women and 2.77 (95% CI: 1.82, 4.23) for men compared with those in the lowest quintile. Low fat-free mass was not associated with a higher prevalence of disability. In a longitudinal analysis among persons not reporting disability at baseline, 20.3% of the women and 14.8% of the men reported disability 3 y later. Fat mass at baseline was predictive of disability 3 y later, with odds ratios of 2.83 (95% CI: 1.80, 4.46) for women and 1.72 (95% CI: 1.03, 2.85) for men in the highest quintile of fat. The increased risk was not explained by age, physical activity, chronic disease, or other potential confounders. Low fat-free mass was not predictive of disability. The results showed that high body fatness is an independent predictor of mobility-related disability in older men and women. These findings suggest that high body fatness in old age should be avoided to decrease the risk of disability.
AB - Using data from the Cardiovascular Health Study, we studied the relation between body composition (fat mass and fat-free mass, assessed by bioelectrical impedance) and self-reported, mobility-related disability (difficulty walking or stair climbing) in 2714 women and 2095 men aged 65- 100 y. In a cross-sectional analysis at baseline (1989-1990), disability was reported by 26.5% of the women and 16.9% of the men. A positive association was observed between fat mass and disability. The odds ratio for disability in the highest quintile of fat mass was 3.04 (95% CI: 2.18, 4.25) for women and 2.77 (95% CI: 1.82, 4.23) for men compared with those in the lowest quintile. Low fat-free mass was not associated with a higher prevalence of disability. In a longitudinal analysis among persons not reporting disability at baseline, 20.3% of the women and 14.8% of the men reported disability 3 y later. Fat mass at baseline was predictive of disability 3 y later, with odds ratios of 2.83 (95% CI: 1.80, 4.46) for women and 1.72 (95% CI: 1.03, 2.85) for men in the highest quintile of fat. The increased risk was not explained by age, physical activity, chronic disease, or other potential confounders. Low fat-free mass was not predictive of disability. The results showed that high body fatness is an independent predictor of mobility-related disability in older men and women. These findings suggest that high body fatness in old age should be avoided to decrease the risk of disability.
KW - Bioelectrical impedance
KW - Body composition
KW - Body fat
KW - Cardiovascular Health Study
KW - Disability
KW - Elderly
KW - Fat mass
KW - Fat-free mass
KW - Humans
KW - Obesity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0031685361&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0031685361&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 9734734
AN - SCOPUS:0031685361
VL - 68
SP - 584
EP - 590
JO - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
JF - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
SN - 0002-9165
IS - 3
ER -