More Muscle Is Seen as Healthier. Scientists Just Complicated That Idea
Summary
A study of 59,269 U.K. Biobank participants found that links between fat-free mass and metabolic health varied depending on how researchers measured fat-free mass. The findings point to visceral fat and fat within muscle as important factors, but the cross-sectional study shows associations, not cause and effect.Key Facts
- Researchers analyzed body composition and metabolic health data from 59,269 adults in the U.K. Biobank.
- They used DXA scans and MRI to study body composition and its association with metabolic syndrome and elevated blood sugar.
- Higher total fat-free mass and fat-free mass adjusted for height were associated with a greater prevalence of metabolic syndrome and elevated glycated hemoglobin.
- A higher proportion of body weight made up of fat-free mass was associated with a lower prevalence of both outcomes.
- Fat-free mass includes muscle, bones, and organs, so it is not a direct measure of muscle alone.
- Researchers examined visceral fat, which lies around internal organs, and fat that accumulates within muscle tissue.
- The study was published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
- The researchers cautioned that the study cannot establish whether body composition causes changes in metabolic health.
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