Predictive value of percentage body fat in aging people with low muscle mass: A 2.2-year longitudinal study.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of percentage body fat (PBF) in screening for the risk of low muscle mass (LMM) in elderly people.

Methods: A prospective study was carried out in Chinese PLA General Hospital with 413 participants who underwent baseline and an average 2.2-year follow-up health check-up examinations.

Results: The average age of the participants at baseline was 63.6 years. The incidence of newly developed LMM was 10.3% in men and 18.2% in women during follow-up. Linear regression demonstrated that baseline PBF were negatively correlated with follow-up total muscle mass index (TMMI) in both men and women (β=-0.124 for men and -0.233 for women, all P < 0.001). The cut-off points of baseline PBF in elderly people for future LMM were 25.45% in men and 30.95% in women and were identified by Receiver Operator Curves (ROC).

Conclusions: Elderly people with a high PBF had a higher risk of new LMM, which suggested that baseline PBF had a close relationship with future LMM and the screening of high PBF should be paid enough attention in health care management in the senior people.