Abstract des Autors

Recent research has suggested that the pattern of fat deposition may be an important prediction of risk factor for atherogenesis. The purpose of the present study was to measure the body fat and muscle thickness distribution in American men and women. One hundred and six men (aged 20 to 59 years) and 95 women (aged 20 to 59 years) participated in assessment of the subcutaneous fat and muscle thicknesses on the upper arm (biceps and triceps), the thigh (quadriceps and hamstrings), abdomen and subscapula using ultrasonography. Subcutaneous fat thickness at abdomen and subscapula in American-Mexican was significantly greater than that of White American. However, no significant difference was noted for the upper arm and the thigh. Subcutaneous fat thickness was greater in women than in men on the upper arm and the thigh with no significant difference on the abdomen. At all sites tested, men had greater muscle thickness than women. Increase in subcutaneous fat thickness due to aging was observed on the upper arm for men and on the abdomen and the thigh in women. Quadriceps muscle thickness was less at older subjects in both sexes; however, no significant difference with aging was noted on the hamstrings. From those results, it was suggested that there was site-specificity in the effect of aging on subcutaneous fat and muscle thickness.