Distribution of Body Composition according to Diabetes Status: A Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis

Background: Body composition is a key indicator closely related to physical health and is useful for evaluating bodily functions and metabolic status.Diabetes mellitus is a representative metabolic disease that can significantly affect body composition.This study aimed to analyze differences in body composition indices according to diabetes status using a large-scale Korean population dataset.Methods: This study included participants aged 40 years or older who underwent body composition analysis as part of the 2022-2023 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.Body composition indices, including body fat percentage, lean body mass percentage, and appendicular skeletal muscle mass percentage, were measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis and compared according to diabetes status.Results: Among 6,439 participants, 5,304 were non-diabetic, and 1,135 were diabetic.After adjusting for age and sex, the mean body fat percentage was significantly higher in individuals with diabetes (31.30%) than non-diabetic individuals (29.37%) (P<0.0001).In contrast, the mean lean body mass percentage (68.70% vs. 70.63%,P<0.0001) and appendicular skeletal muscle mass percentage (27.89%vs. 28.91%,P<0.0001) were significantly lower in the diabetic group.These trends were consistent across the subgroups stratified by sex and menopausal status.Conclusion: Individuals with diabetes exhibited higher body fat percentages, lower lean body mass and appendicular skeletal muscle mass percentages than the nondiabetic individuals.These findings highlight the need for tailored management strategies based on body composition indices to prevent complications and improve outcomes in patients with diabetes.