Body composition and aging: cross-sectional results from the INSPIRE study in people 20 to 93 years old

Abstract

Aging is characterized by several major changes, including altered body composition, which is associated with numerous negative clinical consequences such as sarcopenia, osteoporosis, and frailty. The study is to evaluate body composition parameters depending on age and sex in a population ranging from the young adult to the very old, and to identify break points in the association between body composition and age. In this cross-sectional study, we included the enrolment population of the French INSPIRE-T prospective cohort, accounting for 915 subjects (62% female). Age ranged from 20 to 93 years, median age (years) was 63 (IQR 27). Body composition (lean mass, fat mass, and bone mineral content) was assessed with dual-X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Different break points in the relationship between age and body composition variables in males and females were identified using a segmented regression analysis adjusted on physical activity, nutritional status, educational level, and comorbidities. Lean mass decreased from the age of 55 years for males (CI 95% 44–66) and 31 years for females (CI 95% 23–39). For fat mass, we observed a trend towards an increase with age for males. For females, we observed an increase with age up to age 75 (CI 95% 62–86), followed by a decreasing trend. In this study, we described the relationship between body composition and age as a function of sex, establishing a foundation for further studies on predictive biomarkers of age-related body composition alteration.