Fat-free mass loss generated with weight loss in overweight and obese adults: what may we expect?

There is concern that intentional weight loss may generate excessive loss of fat‐free mass (FFM). Idealists target minimal loss of FFM, while others consider that FFM loss of up to 25% of weight loss is acceptable. In a cross‐sectional study of 275 weight‐stable, overweight or obese adults, we used...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Diabetes, obesity & metabolism obesity & metabolism, 2015-01, Vol.17 (1), p.91-93
Main Authors: Dixon, J. B., Lambert, E. A., Grima, M., Rice, T., Lambert, G. W., Straznicky, N. E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Absorptiometry, Photon
Adult
Body Composition
Body Mass Index
Body measurements
Body weight
Body weight loss
Cohort Studies
Cross-Sectional Studies
European Continental Ancestry Group
fat
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Models, Biological
Muscle Development
Muscular Atrophy - diagnostic imaging
Muscular Atrophy - ethnology
Muscular Atrophy - etiology
Muscular Atrophy - prevention & control
Nutrition Surveys
Obesity
Obesity - diagnostic imaging
Obesity - ethnology
Obesity - therapy
observational study
Overweight
Overweight - diagnostic imaging
Overweight - ethnology
Overweight - therapy
Sex Characteristics
treatment guidelines
United States
Victoria
Weight control
Weight Loss - ethnology
Whole Body Imaging
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Summary:There is concern that intentional weight loss may generate excessive loss of fat‐free mass (FFM). Idealists target minimal loss of FFM, while others consider that FFM loss of up to 25% of weight loss is acceptable. In a cross‐sectional study of 275 weight‐stable, overweight or obese adults, we used whole‐body dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry to measure FFM. A range of models was used to estimate the expected ΔFFM/Δweight ratio required to attain the body composition of a weight‐stable individual at a lower body mass index (BMI). Higher BMI was associated linearly with higher FFM in men and women. Proportional ΔFFM/Δweight was influenced by sex, BMI and age. Direct scatter plot analysis, quadratic curve fit modelling and linear FFM–BMI modelling provided similar estimates for each model of ΔFFM/Δweight ratio, with 40% for men and 33% for women. These results show that the 25% rule is inappropriate and our estimates are higher than those generally reported after intentional weight loss indicating favourable preservation of FFM.
ISSN:1462-8902
1463-1326
DOI:10.1111/dom.12389