Fat Mass Estimation in Overweight and Obesity

The prevalence of individuals who are classified as overweight or obese is increasing all over the world and it represents a primary health concern due to the relationship between obesity and a number of diseases, disabilities, comorbidities, and mortality. The definition of obesity should consider not only the increase of body weight but more precisely the increase in body fat mass. However, body composition evaluation is rarely performed in overweight and obese subjects and the diagnosis is almost always achieved just considering body mass index (BMI). In fact, whereas BMI can be considered an important tool in epidemiological surveys, different papers stated the limitations of the use of BMI in single individuals. Aim: to assess the determinants of body composition in a population of overweight and obese subjects and to propose a different model of estimation of fat mass (FM) in these subjects when more reliable equipments for the evaluation of body composition are not available. Methods: in 103 overweight or obese subjects ( 74 women, aged 41.5±10 years, and 29 men, aged 43.8±8 years); a multidimensional evaluation was performed including the assessment of body composition using Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA), anthropometry, bioimpedance analysis (BIA) and biochemical parameters (total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, HDL- and LDL- cholesterol, free fatty acids and glycerol, glucose, insulin, C-reactive protein, plasma acylated and unacetylated ghrelin, adiponectin and leptin serum levels).