Age-Related Changes in Body Fat Distribution in Middle-Aged and Elderly Japanese

Total body fat mass was estimated in a group of 65 healthy male and 39 healthy female Japanese aged 40-77 using the D2O dilution method, and by measurement of skinfold thickness at 14 sites. The weights of skin, and subcutaneous and internal adipose tissue were calculated. The women had a higher total adipose tissue weight than the men (p<0.01). Absolute subcutaneous adipose tissue weight in women was about double that in men. However, absolute internal adipose tissue weight and internal adipose tissue weight as a percentage of body weight showed no significant sex difference. The relationship of total and subcutaneous adipose tissue weight with age showed a correlation of r=-0.283 (p<0.05) and r=-0.367 (p<0.01), respectively, for men and r=-0.329 (p< 0.05) and r=-0.428 (p<0.01), respectively, for women. The correlation of internal adipose tissue weight with age was not significant, but the internal adipose tissue weight/total adipose tissue weight ratio increased steadily with age in both sexes.