Total and regional body volumes in subjects with body mass index < 35 kg/m <2sup>

Previous studies have documented associations of increased body mass index (BMI, kg/m 2 ) or truncal body size (waist circumference) with risk of metabolic disorders. We studied the relationship between BMI and regional body volumes including the trunk (TV), arms (AV) and legs (LV), as a proportion of total body volume (TBV) in adult human subjects with BMI < 35 kg/m 2 . Fifty‐two subjects were studied (23 females, age 17‐83 yrs). The TBV, TV, AV, and LV were measured using a newly validated 3‐D body image scanner (model C9036‐02, Hamamatsu Co. Japan, Wang et al. Obes Res. 2005; 13 :), and TV/TBV, AV/TBV, and LV/TBV were calculated to express each regional body volume as a proportion of TBV. TV/TBV increased with increasing BMI while AV/TBV and LV/TBV showed no significant changes. The linear equation below shows the relationship between TV/TBV and BMI. T V / T B V = 0.0032 B M I + 0.5372 ,   R 2 = 0.21 , p = 0.001These results indicate that TV as a proportion of the TBV is significantly and positively related to BMI, but the AV and LV as a proportion of the TBV is independent of BMI in subjects with a BMI ≥18 kg/ m 2 but <35 kg/ m 2 . Supported by DK26687‐24 and PO!‐DK‐42618.