Table 1

Physical and clinical characteristics of normal weight, overweight, and obese subjects. The p value represents the significance among the three weight groups.


Normal (n = 30)
Overweight (n = 28)
Obese (n = 29)
p value

Age (yrs)
70 ± 7
72 ± 6
66 ± 5
0.009
Height (cm)
168.0 ± 8.7
167.9 ± 8.0
168.4 ± 8.7
0.968
Weight (Kg)
64.0 ± 9.0
77.6 ± 8.1*
95.9 ± 14.1*
< 0.001
Body Mass Index (Kg/m2)
22.6 ± 1.8
27.5 ± 1.5*
33.7 ± 3.7*
< 0.001
Waist Circumference (cm)
77.6 ± 8.6
93.0 ± 12.7*
103.5 ± 13.1*
< 0.001
Waist-to-Hip Ratio
0.81 ± 0.09
0.91 ± 0.12*
0.89 ± 0.10*
0.001
Calf Skinfold (mm)
16 ± 7
18 ± 8
22 ± 12
0.050
Sum of Skinfolds (mm)
148 ± 49
177 ± 49
223 ± 70*
< 0.001
Sex (% Male)
30
57
48
0.107
Race (% Caucasian)
97
89
90
0.602
Hypertension (%)
23
32
59
0.008
Hyperlipidemia (%)
23
32
31
0.734

Values are means ± standard deviations. * Significant difference from the normal weight group (p < 0.017). Significant difference from the overweight group (p < 0.017).

Acree et al. Dynamic Medicine 2007 6:4   doi:10.1186/1476-5918-6-4