Body composition: Why, when and for who?

Body composition reflects nutritional intakes, losses and needs over time. Undernutrition, i.e. fat-free mass (FFM) loss, is associated with decreased survival, worse clinical outcome and quality of life, as well as increased therapy toxicity in cancer patients. In numerous clinical situations, such as sarcopenic obesity and chronic diseases, the measurement of body composition with available methods, such as dual-X ray absorptiometry,...