Is lean mass quantity or quality the determinant of maximal fat oxidation capacity? The potential mediating role of cardiorespiratory fitness
Background Impaired fat oxidation is linked to cardiometabolic risk. Maximal fat oxidation rate (MFO) reflects metabolic flexibility and is influenced by lean mass, muscle strength, muscle quality – defined as the ratio of strength to mass – and cardiorespiratory fitness. The relationship between th...
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| Format: | Article |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15502783.2025.2455011 |
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| author | Edgardo Opazo-Díaz Juan Corral-Pérez Alejandro Pérez-Bey Alberto Marín-Galindo Adrián Montes-de-Oca-García María Rebollo-Ramos Daniel Velázquez-Díaz Cristina Casals Jesús-Gustavo Ponce-González |
| author_facet | Edgardo Opazo-Díaz Juan Corral-Pérez Alejandro Pérez-Bey Alberto Marín-Galindo Adrián Montes-de-Oca-García María Rebollo-Ramos Daniel Velázquez-Díaz Cristina Casals Jesús-Gustavo Ponce-González |
| author_sort | Edgardo Opazo-Díaz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Impaired fat oxidation is linked to cardiometabolic risk. Maximal fat oxidation rate (MFO) reflects metabolic flexibility and is influenced by lean mass, muscle strength, muscle quality – defined as the ratio of strength to mass – and cardiorespiratory fitness. The relationship between these factors and fat oxidation is not fully understood. The aim is to analyze the associations of lean-mass, muscle strength and quality with fat oxidation parameters in young adults, considering the mediating role of VO2max.Methods A cross-sectional observational study. Eighty-one adults (50 males, 31 females; age 22.8 ± 4.4, BMI 25.70 ± 5.75, lean-mass 54.19 ± 8.78, fat-mass 18.66 ± 11.32) Body composition assessment by bioimpedance determine fat and lean-mass. Indirect calorimetry at rest and exercise was used for the calculation of fat oxidation. An incremental exercise protocol in a cycle ergometer with two consecutive phases was performed. The first to determine MFO consisted of 3 min steps of 15W increments with a cadence of 60rpm. The test was stopped when RQ ≥ 1. After 5 min rest, a phase to detect VO2max began with steps of 15W/min until exhaustion. Muscular strength was assessed by handgrip dynamometry and the standing longitudinal jump test. A strength cluster was calculated with handgrip and long jump adjusted by sex and age. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression and mediation analyses.Results Total lean-mass and leg lean-mass were not associated with MFO. Long jump, relativized by lean-mass and by leg lean-mass have a standardized indirect effect on MFO of 0.50, CI: 0.32–0.70, on MFO/lean-mass 0.43, CI:0.27–0.60 and MFO/leg lean-mass 0.44, CI: 0.30–0.06, which VO2max mediated, VO2max/lean-mass and VO2max/leg lean-mass, respectively (all p < 0.01). The handgrip/arm lean-mass had an indirect effect of 0.25 (CI: 0.12–0.38) on MFO/leg lean-mass, with VO2max/leg lean-mass as the mediator (p < 0.01). The Cluster/lean-mass and Cluster/Extremities lean-mass have a standardized indirect effect on MFO/lean-mass (0.34, CI: 0.20–0.48) and MFO/leg lean-mass (0.44, CI: 0.28–0.60), mediated by VO2max/lean-mass and VO2max/leg lean-mass (p < 0.01).Conclusions Muscular strength and quality have an indirect effect on MFO mediated by VO2max. These findings suggest the importance of muscle quality on MFO. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c18765e2a8f54101b426b15790a40d01 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1550-2783 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-c18765e2a8f54101b426b15790a40d012025-01-30T05:20:39ZengTaylor & Francis GroupJournal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition1550-27832025-12-0122110.1080/15502783.2025.2455011Is lean mass quantity or quality the determinant of maximal fat oxidation capacity? The potential mediating role of cardiorespiratory fitnessEdgardo Opazo-Díaz0Juan Corral-Pérez1Alejandro Pérez-Bey2Alberto Marín-Galindo3Adrián Montes-de-Oca-García4María Rebollo-Ramos5Daniel Velázquez-Díaz6Cristina Casals7Jesús-Gustavo Ponce-González8University of Cadiz, ExPhy Research Group, Department of Physical Education, Puerto Real, SpainUniversity of Cadiz, ExPhy Research Group, Department of Physical Education, Puerto Real, SpainInstituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INiBICA), Cadiz, SpainUniversity of Cadiz, ExPhy Research Group, Department of Physical Education, Puerto Real, SpainUniversity of Cadiz, ExPhy Research Group, Department of Physical Education, Puerto Real, SpainUniversity of Cadiz, ExPhy Research Group, Department of Physical Education, Puerto Real, SpainUniversity of Cadiz, ExPhy Research Group, Department of Physical Education, Puerto Real, SpainUniversity of Cadiz, ExPhy Research Group, Department of Physical Education, Puerto Real, SpainUniversity of Cadiz, ExPhy Research Group, Department of Physical Education, Puerto Real, SpainBackground Impaired fat oxidation is linked to cardiometabolic risk. Maximal fat oxidation rate (MFO) reflects metabolic flexibility and is influenced by lean mass, muscle strength, muscle quality – defined as the ratio of strength to mass – and cardiorespiratory fitness. The relationship between these factors and fat oxidation is not fully understood. The aim is to analyze the associations of lean-mass, muscle strength and quality with fat oxidation parameters in young adults, considering the mediating role of VO2max.Methods A cross-sectional observational study. Eighty-one adults (50 males, 31 females; age 22.8 ± 4.4, BMI 25.70 ± 5.75, lean-mass 54.19 ± 8.78, fat-mass 18.66 ± 11.32) Body composition assessment by bioimpedance determine fat and lean-mass. Indirect calorimetry at rest and exercise was used for the calculation of fat oxidation. An incremental exercise protocol in a cycle ergometer with two consecutive phases was performed. The first to determine MFO consisted of 3 min steps of 15W increments with a cadence of 60rpm. The test was stopped when RQ ≥ 1. After 5 min rest, a phase to detect VO2max began with steps of 15W/min until exhaustion. Muscular strength was assessed by handgrip dynamometry and the standing longitudinal jump test. A strength cluster was calculated with handgrip and long jump adjusted by sex and age. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression and mediation analyses.Results Total lean-mass and leg lean-mass were not associated with MFO. Long jump, relativized by lean-mass and by leg lean-mass have a standardized indirect effect on MFO of 0.50, CI: 0.32–0.70, on MFO/lean-mass 0.43, CI:0.27–0.60 and MFO/leg lean-mass 0.44, CI: 0.30–0.06, which VO2max mediated, VO2max/lean-mass and VO2max/leg lean-mass, respectively (all p < 0.01). The handgrip/arm lean-mass had an indirect effect of 0.25 (CI: 0.12–0.38) on MFO/leg lean-mass, with VO2max/leg lean-mass as the mediator (p < 0.01). The Cluster/lean-mass and Cluster/Extremities lean-mass have a standardized indirect effect on MFO/lean-mass (0.34, CI: 0.20–0.48) and MFO/leg lean-mass (0.44, CI: 0.28–0.60), mediated by VO2max/lean-mass and VO2max/leg lean-mass (p < 0.01).Conclusions Muscular strength and quality have an indirect effect on MFO mediated by VO2max. These findings suggest the importance of muscle quality on MFO.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15502783.2025.2455011Lipid metabolismhand strengthVO2maxbody compositionmetabolic flexibilitymuscle mass |
| spellingShingle | Edgardo Opazo-Díaz Juan Corral-Pérez Alejandro Pérez-Bey Alberto Marín-Galindo Adrián Montes-de-Oca-García María Rebollo-Ramos Daniel Velázquez-Díaz Cristina Casals Jesús-Gustavo Ponce-González Is lean mass quantity or quality the determinant of maximal fat oxidation capacity? The potential mediating role of cardiorespiratory fitness Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition Lipid metabolism hand strength VO2max body composition metabolic flexibility muscle mass |
| title | Is lean mass quantity or quality the determinant of maximal fat oxidation capacity? The potential mediating role of cardiorespiratory fitness |
| title_full | Is lean mass quantity or quality the determinant of maximal fat oxidation capacity? The potential mediating role of cardiorespiratory fitness |
| title_fullStr | Is lean mass quantity or quality the determinant of maximal fat oxidation capacity? The potential mediating role of cardiorespiratory fitness |
| title_full_unstemmed | Is lean mass quantity or quality the determinant of maximal fat oxidation capacity? The potential mediating role of cardiorespiratory fitness |
| title_short | Is lean mass quantity or quality the determinant of maximal fat oxidation capacity? The potential mediating role of cardiorespiratory fitness |
| title_sort | is lean mass quantity or quality the determinant of maximal fat oxidation capacity the potential mediating role of cardiorespiratory fitness |
| topic | Lipid metabolism hand strength VO2max body composition metabolic flexibility muscle mass |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15502783.2025.2455011 |
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