As people get older, they tend to have more fat around their organs and less under the skin, making weight and waist measurements less reliable for detecting health risks in seniors.

Scientific Claim

In middle-aged adults, the prevalence of elevated visceral fat increases with age while elevated subcutaneous fat decreases, which may affect the accuracy of BMI and waist circumference as metabolic risk indicators in older populations.

Original Statement

“The prevalence of elevated SAT declines with age, whereas elevated VAT rises among older individuals. These findings are consistent with the observation that the aging process is associated with loss of subcutaneous fat and gain of fat accumulation in the visceral depot.”

From study:Patterns of Abdominal Fat Distribution

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

definitive

Can make definitive causal claims

Assessment Explanation

The claim states age-related trends observed in the study's data, which is appropriate for an observational study. It correctly describes the association without implying causation.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Patterns of Abdominal Fat Distribution

Cross-Sectional Study

Human

2009 Mar

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Patterns of Abdominal Fat Distribution

Score: 56

DOI: 10.2337/dc08-1359

Similar Assertions

In a group of middle-aged people, about 3 out of 10 women and men have too much fat under the skin of the belly, while about 4 out of 10 have too much fat around their internal organs, based on CT scans.

83%

Even among people classified as obese by BMI, about 1 in 4 men and 1 in 10 women don't have excess fat around their organs, showing BMI doesn't always reflect internal fat levels.

82%

Among people with a normal weight (BMI under 30), about 1 in 10 men and 1 in 9 women have too much fat around their internal organs, showing that weight alone doesn't always reveal hidden health risks.

81%

Even people with a normal waist size can have too much fat around their organs: about 1 in 4 men and 1 in 12 women in this study had this hidden fat, showing waist size alone isn't always reliable.

81%

Even people with a large waist size can have normal levels of internal fat: about 1 in 3 men and women in this study had this, showing waist size isn't always a perfect indicator of visceral fat.

80%