PROPORTION OF ADIPOSE TISSUE-FREE BODY-MASS AS SKELETAL-MUSCLE - MAGNITUDE AND CONSTANCY IN MEN

Although it is often assumed that skeletal muscle (SM) is a fixed prop ortion of adipose tissue-free body mass (ATFM), there is little data i n living humans that supports this hypothesis. Limited data from elder ly cadavers suggests a relatively constant proportion of ATFM as SM in men (mean +/- SD, 0.540 +/- 0.046) and women (0.489 +/- 0.049). The p resent study tested the hypothesis that SM is a relatively constant pr oportion of ATFM in healthy men. Whole body SM and ATFM were measured using multiscan computerized axial tomography. The SM/ATFM ratio in th e men (n = 24) was 0.563 +/- 0.036 which was not significantly differe nt from the value found in the elderly male cadavers. Multiple regress ion analysis indicated that the SM/ATFM ratio was significantly relate d to 1/ATFM (P = 0.036) and the body mass index (P = 0.024), and not w ith age. Further study is needed of other possible factors such as phy sical activity, gender, race, and disease state, that may effect the r elationship between SM and ATFM. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.