Underweight but not underfat: is fat-free mass a key factor in constitutionally thin women?

Abstract

Constitutional thinness is defined as a state of severe underweight with a body mass index similar to anorectic patients (BMI < 17.5 kg/m²), in the absence of any eating disorders or other obvious disruptive factors impacting energy balance. The analysis of body composition is essential as a first approach to characterize constitutional thinness and might help identify new discriminating differences between constitutional thinness and anorexia nervosa. A meta-analytical approach was performed to compare body composition of constitutionally thin, anorectic, and normal-weight subjects from all available studies found in the literature. The statistical analysis was carried out on large sample sizes: n = 205 females with constitutional thinness, n = 228 normal-weight control females, and n = 258 females with anorexia nervosa. Despite being as underweight as anorectic patients, constitutionally thin participants paradoxically presented higher percentages of fat mass than anorectic patients (18.9% vs. 11.4%, respectively; SMD [95% CI]: 1.62 [1.16; 2.08]), even found in the normal healthy ranges. Constitutionally thin people, however, display as low fat-free mass as anorectic patients. These observations question the use of high-fat diets in this population and bring new insights for nutrition and/or training strategies directed toward muscle mass gain. The present results give new elements to further distinguish constitutional thinness from anorexia nervosa and reinforce the need to better investigate the atypical phenotype of constitutional thinness.