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  • Original Article
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Body composition, energy expenditure and physical activity

Body composition through adult life: Swedish reference data on body composition

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 69, pages 837–842 (2015)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/Objectives:

The prevalence of obesity, defined as body mass index (BMI) ⩾30 kg/m2, differs between populations; however, there is a need for data on description on body composition in reference populations of different ages and from different countries. The objective of this study was to pool dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) body composition reference data from population-based Swedish cohorts.

Subjects/Methods:

Four population-based cross-sectional cohort studies including 1424 adult Swedes were divided into five age groups (20–29, 30–39, 40–49, 50–61 and 75 years of age); BMI 24.6±3.9 kg/m2 were pooled. Body composition was measured with DXA.

Results:

The difference in BMI from the youngest to the oldest age group was 3.2 and 4.3 kg/m2 in men and women, respectively (P<0.001, both sexes), and fat mass (FM) was 9.9 and 9.1% higher in the oldest compared with the youngest men and women (P<0.001, both sexes). Fat-free mass (FFM) remained stable up to 60 years of age in men (P=0.83) and was lower at 75 years of age compared with the younger ages. In women, FFM was lower from age 60. From youngest to oldest age groups, height-adjusted FM differed from 4.6 to 7.8 kg/m2 in men and from 6.8 to 10.8 kg/m2 in women (P<0.001, both sexes).

Conclusions:

Our results provide reference data on body composition in Swedish populations. BMI and FM were higher among older age groups compared with the younger ones. FFM remained stable up to 60 years of age and was lower first among the 75 years of age.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge Björn Henning, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg for his skilful work with the DXA body composition databases.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, Internal medicine, University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden

    I Larsson, H Lantz & I Bosaeus

  2. Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Public Health Epidemiology Unit, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    L Lissner

  3. Department of Nursing, Health and Culture, University West, Trollhättan, Sweden

    G Samuelson

  4. Department of Paediatrics, Northern Älvsborg Hospital, Trollhättan, Sweden

    H Fors

  5. Department of Surgery, Örebro University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden

    I Näslund

  6. Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    L M S Carlsson & L Sjöström

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  1. I Larsson
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  2. L Lissner
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Correspondence to I Larsson.

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Larsson, I., Lissner, L., Samuelson, G. et al. Body composition through adult life: Swedish reference data on body composition. Eur J Clin Nutr 69, 837–842 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2014.268

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2014.268

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