Table 1

Convergent and divergent validity of measures of muscle quality with traditional measures of body composition

Thigh MMA
r (95% CI)
P valueTMI
r (95% CI)
P valueThigh IMAT Index
r (95% CI)
P valueAbdominal MMA
r (95% CI)
P valueAMI
r (95% CI)
P value
Thigh MMA1
TMI0.05 (−0.07 to 0.16)0.441
Thigh IMAT Index−0.52 (−0.62 to −0.41)<0.0010.07 (−0.07 to 0.21)0.311
Abdominal MMA0.78 (0.72 to 0.82)<0.0010.11 (−0.01 to 0.22)0.08−0.47 (−0.57 to −0.35)<0.0011
AMI0.19 (0.07 to 0.30)0.0020.61 (0.54 to 0.68)<0.001−0.003 (−0.15 to 0.14)0.970.27 (0.16 to 0.37)<0.0111
Body mass index−0.35 (−0.45 to −0.24)<0.0010.59 (0.50 to 0.66)<0.0010.52 (0.41 to 0.62)<0.001−0.38 (−0.48 to −0.28)<0.0010.28 (0.18 to 0.38)<0.01
Height−0.05 (−0.17 to 0.06)0.370.18 (0.06 to 0.29)0.0030.11 (−0.03 to 0.25)0.120.1 (−0.01 to 0.21)0.090.06 (−0.05 to 0.17)0.28
Weight−0.31 (−0.42 to −0.20)<0.0010.57 (0.49 to 0.65)<0.0010.47 (0.36 to 0.58)<0.001−0.25 (−0.36 to −0.15)<0.0010.27 (0.16 to 0.37)<0.001
Abdominal VAT area (mm2)−0.33 (−0.43 to −0.22)<0.0010.20 (0.08 to 0.31)0.0010.40 (0.28 to 0.52)<0.001−0.44 (−0.53 to −0.34)<0.0010.06 (−0.06 to 0.17)0.32
Triceps skinfold thickness−0.19 (−0.35 to −0.03)0.03−0.11 (−0.27 to 0.06)0.20.2 (−0.006 to 0.39)0.06−0.24 (−0.38 to −0.08)0.003−0.26 (−0.40 to −0.10)0.001
  • Results displayed as Pearson correlation coefficient (95% CI).

  • AMI, abdominal muscle index (abdominal skeletal muscle area/height2); Thigh IMAT Index, thigh intramuscular adipose tissue (intramuscular adipose tissue area/height2); MMA, mean muscle attenuation (Hounsfield unit); TMI, thigh muscle index (thigh muscle area/height2); VAT, visceral adipose tissue.