Unraveling the roles of ectopic adipose depots and physical activity in age‐related mitochondrial decline

Age-related changes in body composition, including loss of lean mass, increases in adiposity, and preferential redistribution of adipose tissue to ectopic depots, are some of the most vexing aspects of aging.Indeed, these age-related changes in body composition contribute to increased risk of cardiometabolic (e.g., diabetes, cardiovascular disease) as well as geriatric (e.g., sarcopenia, mobility disability, frailty) -related disorders.Recent data suggest that age-related loss of muscle mass [1], elevations in intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) [1], and impairments in skeletal muscle mitochondrial bioenergetics [2] are associated with impairments in mobility and subsequent development of frailty.However, the link among age-related changes in skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and mitochondrial function remains incompletely understood.In addition, age-related changes in physical activity likely mediate changes in skeletal muscle mass, adiposity, and measures of mitochondrial bioenergetics.