Age-related changes in adiposity and cardiometabolic disease risk: a longitudinal and prospective study in the UK Biobank
Authors' conclusion
Ageing is associated with progressive, depot-specific redistribution of body fat with increasing accumulation in metabolically harmful depots later in life. MRI-derived adiposity measures provide important insight into these risk-relevant patterns.
Study context
- Population
- UK Biobank participants aged 45–82 years with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived body composition measures1,688 with longitudinal measures
- Participants
- 36,831 participants
- Outcome
- Age-related differences in MRI-derived adiposity traits and association with cardiometabolic outcomes
Methodological detailsUK Biobank, Cox regression, stepwise Cox regression, univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization
- UK Biobank
- Cox regression
- Stepwise Cox regression
- Univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) volume and pancreatic and thigh muscle fat infiltration higher with age and increased within participants between imaging timepoints, despite similar body mass index (BMI)
- Liver and pancreas volume lower in older participants
- All MRI-derived traits associated with ≥1 clinical outcome; after adjustment for multiple testing and BMI, only T2D and hyperlipidaemia remained significant
- Adding MRI-derived traits to BMI improved risk prediction, particularly in males
- VAT showed strongest association and accounted for a substantial proportion of T2D risk attributed to BMI in females and males, supported by multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Age-related changes in adiposity and cardiometabolic disease risk: a longitudinal and prospective study in the UK Biobank. Int J Obes (Lond). Published 15 July 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →