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Body composition in the SOS (Swedish Obese Subjects) reference study

International Journal of Obesity volume 28, pages 1317–1324 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective was to establish population-based, sex- and age-specific reference data with respect to body composition variables. Secondary objectives were to relate body mass index (BMI) to anthropometric measurements reflecting central adiposity and to body fat (BF). Another objective was to examine if secular changes in adipose tissue distribution occurred during the sampling period, 1994–1999.

DESIGN: Sex- and age-specific data on anthropometric measurements and body composition were cross-sectionally collected in the reference study of Swedish Obese Subjects.

SUBJECTS: In total, 1135 randomly selected subjects (524 men and 611 women), aged 37–61 y, BMI 17.6–45.4 kg/m2.

MEASUREMENTS: Measures of body fatness and fat distribution (by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and anthropometry) were collected.

RESULTS: At BMI 25 kg/m2, relative (absolute) BF mass was 24% (19 kg) in men vs 36% (25 kg) in women, waist circumference was 90 vs 85 cm, and sagittal trunk diameter was 21 vs 19 cm. BF and measures of centralized adipose tissue distribution increased with age in both sexes (P<0.01). In women, waist circumference and sagittal diameter increased (P<0.01) over the sampling period while BMI did not.

CONCLUSIONS: Sex- and age-specific reference data on body composition are reported from a randomly selected sample of Swedish men and women. At given BMIs, women had more BF but smaller waist circumference than men. Secular increases in indices of central obesity were found in women but not in men.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by grants from the Swedish Medical Research Council, Grant No. 05239.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Body composition and Metabolism, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden

    I Larsson, H Bertéus Forslund, A K Lindroos, M Peltonen & L Sjöström

  2. Department of Primary Health Care, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden

    L Lissner

  3. Nordic School of Public Health, Göteborg, Sweden

    L Lissner

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

    I Näslund

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  1. I Larsson
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Correspondence to L Sjöström.

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Larsson, I., Bertéus Forslund, H., Lindroos, A. et al. Body composition in the SOS (Swedish Obese Subjects) reference study. Int J Obes 28, 1317–1324 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802732

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