HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wang, Z. Articles by Heymsfield, S. B Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Wang, Z. Articles by Heymsfield, S. B Agricola Articles by Wang, Z. Articles by Heymsfield, S. B

Hydration of fat-free body mass: review and critique of a classic body-composition constant^1,2,3

The assumed "constancy" of fat-free body mass hydration is a cornerstone in the body-composition research field. Hydration, the observed ratio of total body water to fat-free body mass, is stable at 0.73 in mammals and this constancy provides a means of estimating total body fat in vivo. This review examines both in vitro and in vivo data that support the hydration constancy hypothesis and provides a critique of applied methodology. Biological topics of interest are then examined and critical areas in need of future research are identified. These are important issues because water dilution is the only method currently available for estimating body fat in all mammals, which range in body mass by a factor of 10⁴.

Key Words: Hydration • fat-free body mass • total body water • body composition • mammals • dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. C. Wells, J. E Williams, S. Chomtho, T. Darch, C. Grijalva-Eternod, K. Kennedy, D. Haroun, C. Wilson, T. J Cole, and M. S Fewtrell Pediatric reference data for lean tissue properties: density and hydration from age 5 to 20 y Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, March 1, 2010; 91(3): 610 - 618. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. K Haas, J. R Allen, M. R Kohn, S. D Clarke, S. Zhang, J. N Briody, M. Gruca, S. Madden, M. J Muller, and K. J Gaskin Total body protein in healthy adolescent girls: validation of estimates derived from simpler measures with neutron activation analysis Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, January 1, 2007; 85(1): 66 - 72. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. W Chamney, P. Wabel, U. M Moissl, M. J Muller, A. Bosy-Westphal, O. Korth, and N. J Fuller A whole-body model to distinguish excess fluid from the hydration of major body tissues Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, January 1, 2007; 85(1): 80 - 89. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Reid, A. Badaloo, T. Forrester, and F. Jahoor In vivo rates of erythrocyte glutathione synthesis in adults with sickle cell disease Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, July 1, 2006; 291(1): E73 - E79. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. J. Hoffman, A. L. Sawaya, P. A. Martins, M. A. McCrory, and S. B. Roberts Comparison of Techniques to Evaluate Adiposity in Stunted and Nonstunted Children Pediatrics, April 1, 2006; 117(4): e725 - e732. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. J Bossingham, N. S Carnell, and W. W Campbell Water balance, hydration status, and fat-free mass hydration in younger and older adults Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, June 1, 2005; 81(6): 1342 - 1350. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Lof and E. Forsum Hydration of fat-free mass in healthy women with special reference to the effect of pregnancy Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, October 1, 2004; 80(4): 960 - 965. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Nguyen, V. Leray, H. Dumon, L. Martin, B. Siliart, M. Diez, and V. Biourge High Protein Intake Affects Lean Body Mass but Not Energy Expenditure in Nonobese Neutered Cats J. Nutr., August 1, 2004; 134(8): 2084S - 2086S. [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Schwenk, L. Hodgson, A. Wright, L. C Ward, C. F. Rayner, S. Grubnic, G. E Griffin, and D. C Macallan Nutrient partitioning during treatment of tuberculosis: gain in body fat mass but not in protein mass Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, June 1, 2004; 79(6): 1006 - 1012. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Briet, C. Twomey, and K. N Jeejeebhoy Effect of malnutrition and short-term refeeding on peripheral blood mononuclear cell mitochondrial complex I activity in humans Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, May 1, 2003; 77(5): 1304 - 1311. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Tylavsky, T. Lohman, B. A. Blunt, D. A. Schoeller, T. Fuerst, J. A. Cauley, M. C. Nevitt, M. Visser, and T. B. Harris QDR 4500A DXA overestimates fat-free mass compared with criterion methods J Appl Physiol, March 1, 2003; 94(3): 959 - 965. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. C Buchholz, C. F McGillivray, and P. B Pencharz Differences in resting metabolic rate between paraplegic and able-bodied subjects are explained by differences in body composition Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, February 1, 2003; 77(2): 371 - 378. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Z. Wang, S. Heshka, J. Wang, L. Wielopolski, and S. B. Heymsfield Magnitude and variation of fat-free mass density: a cellular-level body composition modeling study Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, February 1, 2003; 284(2): E267 - E273. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Smith, B. Engel, A. M Diskin, P. Spanel, and S. J Davies Comparative measurements of total body water in healthy volunteers by online breath deuterium measurement and other near-subject methods Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, December 1, 2002; 76(6): 1295 - 1301. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. M. Eits, R. P. Kwakkel, and M. W. A. Verstegen Nutrition Affects Fat-Free Body Composition in Broiler Chickens J. Nutr., August 1, 2002; 132(8): 2222 - 2228. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Luke, R. A Durazo-Arvizu, C. N Rotimi, H. Iams, D. A Schoeller, A. A Adeyemo, T. E Forrester, R. Wilks, and R. S Cooper Activity energy expenditure and adiposity among black adults in Nigeria and the United States Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, June 1, 2002; 75(6): 1045 - 1050. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Ferrier, P. Robert, H. Dumon, L. Martin, and P. Nguyen Evaluation of Body Composition in Dogs by Isotopic Dilution Using a Low-Cost Technique, Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy J. Nutr., June 1, 2002; 132(6): 1725S - 1727. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Z. Wang, F. X. Pi-Sunyer, D. P. Kotler, J. Wang, R. N. Pierson Jr., and S. B. Heymsfield Magnitude and variation of ratio of total body potassium to fat-free mass: a cellular level modeling study Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, July 1, 2001; 281(1): E1 - E7. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. J. Ellis Selected Body Composition Methods Can Be Used in Field Studies J. Nutr., May 1, 2001; 131(5): 1589S - 1595. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				G. W. Welch and M. R. Sowers The Interrelationship between Body Topology and Body Composition Varies with Age among Women J. Nutr., September 1, 2000; 130(9): 2371 - 2377. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				D. Gallagher, A. J. Kovera, G. Clay-Williams, D. Agin, P. Leone, J. Albu, D. E. Matthews, and S. B. Heymsfield Weight loss in postmenopausal obesity: no adverse alterations in body composition and protein metabolism Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, July 1, 2000; 279(1): E124 - E131. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]