Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate characteristics of body composition in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes.
Methods: Measurement of regional body composition was performed using bioelectrical impedance analysis (INBODY720) in 198 patients with type 2 diabetes (group D) and 198 apparently healthy subjects matched for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI) (group C), together with measurements of metabolic parameters.
Results: The percentage of skeletal muscle of whole body (M%) and in lower extremities (leg M%) was significantly lower in group D than that in group C. These sarcopenic features were manifest in patients with longer durations of diabetes or lack of exercise. M% and leg M% in diabetic patients were negatively correlated with the log-transformed triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio, a marker of insulin resistance and atherosclerosis risk. Furthermore, reduced leg M% was significantly correlated with increasing numbers of risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Conclusions: Because this distinctive feature of body composition becomes more evident as duration of diabetes is longer and less marked in patients with habitual exercise, early intervention, such as the instruction of exercise including resistance training, seems to be worthwhile for the prevention of future burdens in these patients.