Associations between regional adipose tissue distribution and skeletal muscle bioenergetics in older men and women.

Examine the association of ectopic adipose tissue (AT) with skeletal muscle (SM) mitochondrial bioenergetics in older adults. Cross-sectional data from 829 older adults ≥70 years was used. Total abdominal, subcutaneous, and visceral AT; and thigh muscle fat infiltration (MFI) was quantified by MRI. SM mitochondrial energetics were characterized using Independent of BMI, total abdominal (standardized (Std.) β=-0.21; R Skeletal MFI and abdominal visceral, but not subcutaneous AT, are inversely associated with SM mitochondrial bioenergetics in older adults independent of BMI. Associations between ectopic AT and