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Introduction: Muscle fibers are lost and replaced by fat‐ and fibrous‐tissue infiltration during aging. This process decreases muscle quality and influences tissue appearance on ultrasound images over time. Increased muscle "echogenicity" represents changes caused by fat‐ and fibrous‐tissue infiltration and can be quantified with recently developed software. Objective: To investigate skeletal muscle quality through echogenicity, estimates according to participant's body mass index (BMI) and age were taken. Methods: This was a cross‐sectional study performed at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana with 117 participants (57 men and 60 women), with mean age (±SD) 38.9 ± 17.0 years and BMI 28.6 ± 6.2 kg/m². All participants were examined by ultrasound (LOGIQ GE Healthcare), using a 5.0‐MHz linear transducer. Participants had muscle thickness measured by ultrasound at 4 anatomic locations (biceps and triceps brachial, femoral quadriceps, and calf triceps). Echogenicity was analyzed with specific software (Pixel Health) that evaluated the image in gray scale. Results: According to BMI, 41% of participants were obese. There was a positive correlation between age and thigh‐muscle echogenicity (rp = 0.534, P <.0001) and a negative correlation between thigh‐muscle echogenicity and thickness (rp = –0.395, P <.0001). There was high muscle echogenicity in participants with overweight and obesity aged 50 years or older (P <.05). Conclusion: Older age and higher BMI were associated with stronger echogenicity signals and smaller muscle thickness. People with overweight, obesity, and/or older than 50 years old have reduced muscle quality with smaller muscle thickness, as observed with ultrasound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Visceral adiposity, more so than overall adiposity, is associated with chronic disease and mortality. There has been, to our knowledge, little research exploring the association between diet quality and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) among a mulitethnic population aged 18–80 y. Objective The primary objective of this cross-sectional analysis was to examine the association between diet quality [Healthy Eating Index–2010 (HEI-2010) scores] and VAT among a multiethnic population of young, middle, and older aged adults in the United States. Secondary objectives were to repeat these analyses with overall adiposity and blood-based biomarkers for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk as outcome measures. Methods A total of 540 adults (dropped out: n  = 4; age: 18–40 y, n  = 220; 40–60 y, n  = 183; 60–80 y, n  = 133) were recruited across 3 sites (Honolulu County, San Francisco, and Baton Rouge) for the Shape Up! Adults study. Whole-body DXA, anthropometry, fasting blood draw, and questionnaires (food frequency, physical activity, and demographic characteristics) were completed. Linear regression was used to assess the associations between HEI-2010 tertiles and VAT and secondary outcome measures among all participants and age-specific strata, while adjusting for known confounders. Results VAT, BMI (kg/m2), body fat percentage, total body fat, trunk fat, insulin, and insulin resistance were inversely related to diet quality (all P values < 0.004). When stratified by age, diet quality was inversely associated with VAT among participants aged 60–80 y (P < 0.006) and VAT/subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) among participants aged 40–60 y (P < 0.008). Conclusions Higher-quality diet was associated with lower VAT, overall adiposity, and insulin resistance among this multiethnic population of young, middle, and older aged adults with ages ranging from 18 to 80 y. More specifically, adherence to a high-quality diet may minimize VAT accumulation in adults aged 60–80 y and preferentially promote storage of SAT compared with VAT in adults aged 40–60 y. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03637855. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter is presented discussing a study on the sex-specific relationship of body mass index (BMI) and body adiposity index with body fat among white and black adults. The metabolic studies conducted from 1992 to 2011 recruited participants from the greater Baton Rouge area. Variables measured included height and weight using a stadiometer and digital scale, respectively, and hip circumference at the level of the trochanters. Discussed in details are the research findings.