On separate days at least 48 hours apart, participants underwent strength testing and computed tomography (CT). Strength testing involved determination of the maximum weight that could be lifted 8 times while maintaining proper form. The CT protocol included a scout radio-graph, a transverse cut at L4 to L5 to measure abdominal visceral and subcutaneous fat (13, 14), and a mid-thigh cut midway between the inguinal crease and the primal border of the patella to assess muscle cross-sectional area (15). The images were downloaded as digital files and analyzed by using Slice-O-Matic software, version 4 (Tom vision, Montre´al, Que´bec, Canada), as described elsewhere (7).