Age- and Sex-Specific Changes in visceral fat mass Throughout the Lifespan

Abstract

Abstract Background High visceral fat mass (VFM) is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus and malignancy, however, normative data are limited. The aim of this study was to provide reference data for VFM from a large apparently healthy Caucasian adult population. Materials and methods Volunteers aged 20-93 years from the Copenhagen City Heart Study had a standardized whole-body Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scan performed using the iDXA (GE Lunar). Total and regional fat mass was assessed, and VFM was quantified using the CoreScanTM application.Results We included 1277 participants [708 women (mean±SD age: 56 ± 19 years, height: 1.66 ± 0.07 m, body mass index: 24.64 ± 4.31 kg/m2 and 569 men, age: 57 ± 18 years, height: 1.80 ± 0.07 m, body mass index: 25.99 ± 3.86 kg/m2]. Visceral fat mass was associated with age in both sexess, but men had significantly higher VFM both in mass (g) and after normalization to body size (height, m2) and total fat mass (p<0.001). With the same BMI, body fat % (BF %) and fat mass index (total fat mass/height2 (FMI)), men had significantly higher VFM. In contrast, VFM increased more in women with high values of android-gynoid ratio, while this relationship was linear in men.Conclusion Normative data of visceral fat mass (VFM) from a large healthy Danish cohort aged 20-93 years are presented. Notably, VFM increased with age in both sexes, but men had significantly higher VFM compared to women with the same BMI, BF % and FMI.