Association of X-ray Absorptiometry Body Composition Measurements with Basic Anthropometrics and Mortality Hazard.
Nir Y KrakauerJesse C KrakauerPublished in: International journal of environmental research and public health (2021)
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is a non-invasive imaging modality that can estimate whole-body and regional composition in terms of fat, lean, and bone mass. We examined the ability of DEXA body composition measures (whole-body, trunk, and limb fat mass and fat-free mass) to predict mortality in conjunction with basic body measures (anthropometrics), expressed using body mass index (BMI) and a body shape index (ABSI). We used data from the 1999-2006 United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), with mortality follow-up to 2015. We found that all DEXA-measured masses were highly correlated with each other and with ABSI and that adjustment for BMI and ABSI reduced these dependencies. Whole-body composition did not substantially improve mortality prediction compared to basic anthropometrics alone, but regional composition did, with high trunk fat-free mass and low limb fat-free mass both associated with elevated mortality risk. These findings illustrate how DEXA body composition could guide health assessment in conjunction with the more widely employed simple anthropometrics.
Keyphrases
- body composition
- bone mineral density
- dual energy
- body mass index
- resistance training
- adipose tissue
- computed tomography
- cardiovascular events
- high resolution
- risk factors
- fatty acid
- healthcare
- image quality
- weight gain
- public health
- contrast enhanced
- cardiovascular disease
- mental health
- physical activity
- coronary artery disease
- weight loss
- electronic health record
- lower limb
- magnetic resonance imaging
- photodynamic therapy
- soft tissue