Body Composition in a Sample of the Adult Population From Moscow

Objectives. To evaluate body composition and describe the prevalence of various types of obesity in a sample of the adult population from Moscow. Material and methods. A cross-sectional study included measurements of weight, height, waist and hip circumferences, and bioimpedance analysis for body composition assessment in the sample of 131 adults (44 males aged 21 to 73 years and 87 females aged 18 to 67 years) from Moscow. Body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio (WHR), waist to height ratio (WHtR) were calculated. Results. Up to 30% of the adults were classified as overweight and obese (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2); among them more than half had signs of central obesity. Almost 20% of females with normal BMI had increased body fat and were classified as normal weight obese. A significant increase in body fat mass and a decrease in lean muscle mass were associated with ageing. Conclusions. About a third of the adults from the studied sample were classified as overweight and obese. Central obesity was observed in conjunction with general obesity. The prevalence of normal weight obesity was higher in the group of females. Because the “obesogenic” environment promotes chronic positive energy balance, people with normal BMI may also have excessive body fat and the subsequent health risks similarly to people with general obesity. Further research is needed to estimate the prevalence of different types of obesity in the Moscow population.