Calculating the Thickness of the Superficial Fatty Layer of the Body Using Age, Gender, and Body Mass Index

January 2020 | Volume 19 | Issue 1 | Original Article | 36 | Copyright © January 2020


Published online December 19, 2019

Sebastian Cotofana MD PhD,a,b Doris Hexsel MD,c Luiz E.T. Avelar MD,d Christine G. Munia MD,e Mariana Muniz MD,f Gabriela Casabona MD,g Thilo L. Schenck MD PhD,h Jeremy B. Green MD,i Nirusha Lachman PhD,j Konstantin Frank MDh

aDivision of Anatomy, Department of Medical Education, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY bDivision of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY cBrazilian Centre for Studies in Dermatology, Porto Alegre, Brazil dPrivate Practice, Belo Horizonte, Brazil ePrivate Practice, Sao Paolo, Brazil fPrivate Practice, Sao Paolo, Brazil gOcean Clinic, Marbella, Spain hDepartment for Hand, Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery, Ludwig – Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Germany iSkin Associates of South Florida, Coral Gables, FL jMayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

Posterior Arm (Figure 1, 3, and 5)
The mean thickness of the superficial fatty layer independent of age or BMI, was in males 4.39 mm ± 0.84 and in females 4.36mm ± 0.97 with P=0.780. In those with a BMI <24.9 kg/m2 the mean thickness was for males/females 3.70mm ± 0.55/3.54mm ± 0.68, whereas it was in those with a BMI of 25.0–29.9kg/ m2 4.39mm ± 0.74/4.34mm ± 0.79 and for those with a BMI > 30.0kg/m2 it was 5.09mm ± 0.55/5.21mm ± 0.62. Increasing BMI values correlated significantly with an increase in superficial fatty layer thickness (rp = 0.754, P<0.001) whereas increasing age correlated significantly with a decrease in its thickness (rp = -0.355, P<0.001). Multifactorial linear regression revealed the following formula to compute the thickness of the superficial fatty layer based on information of age and BMI:

Male: Thickness of superficial fatty layer in mm: 1.847+(0.133*BMI)-(0.024*Age)
Female: Thickness of superficial fatty layer in mm: 0.667+(0.172*BMI)-(0.021*Age)

Abdomen (Figure 1 ,3, and 6)
The mean thickness of the superficial fatty layer independent of age or BMI, was in males 12.81mm ± 2.88 and in females 12.48mm ± 3.44 with P=0.376 In those with a BMI <24.9 kg/ m2 the mean thickness was for males/females 9.41mm ± 1.14/8.24mm ± 1.30, whereas it was in those with a BMI of 25.0–29.9 kg/m2 13.97mm ± 1.78/13.72mm ± 1.50 and for those with a BMI >30.0kg/m2 it was 15.03mm ± 1.61/15.48mm ± 1.72. Increasing BMI values correlated significantly with an increase in superficial fatty layer thickness (rp = 0.829, P<0.001) whereas increasing age correlated significantly with a decrease in its thickness (rp = -0.104, rp=0.071). Multifactorial linear regression revealed the following formula to compute the thickness of the superficial fatty layer based on information of age and BMI:
Male: Thickness of superficial fatty layer in mm: 0.544+(0.491*BMI)-(0.023*Age)
Female: Thickness of superficial fatty layer in mm: -5.059+(0.686*BMI)-(0.020*Age)

Gluteal Region (Figure 1, 3, and 7)
The mean thickness of the superficial fatty layer independent of age or BMI, was in males 8.89mm ± 0.73 and in females 11.13mm ± 0.91 with P=0.373. In those with a BMI <24.9kg/m2 the mean thickness was for males/females 12.10mm ± 2.05/7.14mm ± 0.51, whereas it was in those with a BMI of 25.0–29.9kg/m2 18.57mm ±3,64/19.24 mm ± 3.73 and for those with a BMI >30.0kg/m2 it was 32.43mm ± 1.70/33.62mm ± 1.93. Increasing BMI values correlated significantly with an increase in superficial fatty layer thickness (rp = 0.933, P<0.001) whereas increasing age correlated significantly with a decrease in its thickness (rp = -0.101, P=0.080). Multifactorial linear regression revealed the following formula to compute the thickness of the superficial fatty layer based on information of age and BMI:
Male: Thickness of superficial fatty layer in men:- 23.484+(1.788*BMI)-(0.086*Age)
Female: Thickness of superficial fatty layer in mm:- 43.052+(2.419*BMI)-(0.043*Age)

Anterior Thigh (Figure 1, 3, and 8)
The mean thickness of the superficial fatty layer independent of age or BMI, was in males 7.70mm ± 2.27 and in females 8.10mm ± 2.31 with P=0.131 In those with a BMI <24.9kg/m2 the mean thickness was for males/females 5.36mm ± 0.64/5.78mm ± 0.84, whereas it was in those with a BMI of 25.0–29.9 kg/m2 7.52mm ± 1.33/7.83mm ± 1.32 and for those with a BMI >30.0kg/ m2 it was 10.23mm ± 1.16/10.70mm ± 1.11. Increasing BMI values correlated significantly with an increase in superficial fatty layer thickness (rp = 0.892, P<0.001) whereas increasing age correlated significantly with a decrease in its thickness (rp = -0.159, P=0.006). Multifactorial linear regression revealed the following formula to compute the thickness of the superficial fatty layer based on information of age and BMI:

Male: Thickness of superficial fatty layer in mm: -2.981+(0.432*BMI)-(0.023*Age)
Female: Thickness of superficial fatty layer in mm: -3.616+(0.480*BMI)-(0.026*Age)

Medial Thigh (Figure 1, 3, and 9)
The mean thickness of the superficial fatty layer independent of age or BMI, was in males 5.73mm ± 1.05 and in females 5.74mm ± 1.27 with P=0.964. In those with a BMI <24.9kg/m2 the mean thickness was for males/females 4.98mm ± 0.77/4.50mm ± 0.87, whereas it was in those with a BMI of 25.0–29.9kg/m2 5.59mm ± 1.00/5.82mm ± 0.91 and for those with a BMI >30.0kg/m2 it was 6.63mm ± 0.59/6.91mm ± 0.60. Increasing BMI values correlated significantly with an increase in superficial fatty layer thickness (rp = 0.769, P<0.001) whereas increasing age correlated significantly with a decrease in its thickness (rp = -0.253, P<0.001). Multifactorial linear regression revealed the following formula to compute the thickness of the superficial fatty layer based on information of age and BMI:

Male: Thickness of superficial fatty layer in mm: 2.103+(0.161*BMI)-(0.016*Age)
Female: Thickness of superficial fatty layer in mm: 0.358+(0.239*BMI)-(0.024*Age)

Posterior Thigh (Figure 1, 3, and 10)
The mean thickness of the superficial fatty layer independent of age or BMI, was in males 7.71mm ± 3.07 and in females 7.84mm ±3.34 with P=0.721. In those with a BMI <24.9kg/m2 the mean thickness was for males/females 4.75mm ± 0.44/4.53mm ± 0.87, whereas it was in those with a BMI of 25.0–29.9kg/m2 6.83mm ± 1.46/6.96mm ± 1.44 and for those with a BMI >30.0kg/m2 it was 11.54mm ± 1.28/12.03mm ± 1.12. Increasing BMI values
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