Factors associated with trunk skeletal muscle thickness and echo intensity in young Japanese men and women
2025

Factors Affecting Muscle Thickness and Fat in Young Japanese

Sample size: 50 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Kitagawa Funa, Akima Hiroshi, Ishiguro-Tanaka Noriko

Primary Institution: Graduate School of Education & Human Development, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan

Hypothesis

Habitual dietary intake significantly correlates with trunk muscle thickness and echo intensity, and factors associated with these may differ between men and women.

Conclusion

The study found that dietary intake significantly correlates with muscle thickness and fat content in young men, while in women, it may relate to arterial stiffness.

Supporting Evidence

  • In men, muscle thickness significantly correlated with energy from polyunsaturated fatty acids and carbohydrates.
  • In women, muscle fat content correlated with arterial stiffness.
  • 33.3% of women participants were classified as underweight.

Takeaway

This study looked at how what young people eat affects their muscle and fat in the trunk area, finding that men and women are affected differently.

Methodology

Participants underwent ultrasound imaging to evaluate muscle thickness and echo intensity, along with dietary assessments.

Potential Biases

Potential bias due to the lack of exercise habits among participants and the influence of sex differences in physiology.

Limitations

The study's cross-sectional design and the high percentage of underweight participants may limit the generalizability of the findings.

Participant Demographics

Healthy young Japanese men (n=26) and women (n=24) aged 20 to 26.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0312523

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