Jack Wang

Co-Director, Body Composition Unit


Jack Wang, M.S.

Positions and Employment

1962-1965 Clinical Chemist, Chemistry teacher, Taiwan Provicial Taichung Hospital, 1-Ning High School
1965-1969 Research Associate, Endocrinology Division, St. Luke's Hospital Center
1970-1974 Chemist, Body Composition Unit, St. Luke's Hospital Center
1975-present Scientific Associate, Medicine, Columbia University
1975-2001 Associate Director, Body Composition Unit, St. Luke's Hospital Center
2002-present Co-Director, Body Composition Unit

Selected Publications

  1. Wang J, Pierson RN Jr., Kelly WG: A rapid method for the determination of deuterium oxide in urine: Application to the measurement of total body water. J LAB CLIN MED 1973; 82:170-178.
  2. Wang J, Pierson RN Jr.: Disparate hydration states of adipose and lean tissue require a new model for body water distribution in man. J NUTR 1976; 106:1687-1693.
  3. Pierson RN Jr., Wang J, Yang M, Van Itallie TB: The assessment of body composition in weight reduction in evaluation of a new model for clinical studies. J NUTR 1976; 106: 1694-1701.
  4. Yang MU, Wang J, Pierson RN Jr., Van Itallie TB: Estimation of composition of weight loss in man: a comparison of methods. J APPL PHYSIOL 1977; 43:331-338.
  5. Pierson RN Jr., Price DC, Wang J, Jain RK: Extracellular water measurements: organ tracer kinetics of bromide and sucrose in rats and man. AM J PHYS 1978;235:F254-264.
  6. Pierson RN Jr., Wang J, Colt EWD: Body composition measurements in normal man: the potassium sodium, sulfate and tritium space in 58 adults. J CHRON DIS 1982;35:419-428
  7. Colt EWD, Wang J, Stallone F, Pierson RN Jr., Van Itallie TB: A possible low intracellular potassium in obesity. AM J CLIN NUTR 1981; 34:367-361.
  8. Pierson RN Jr., Wang J, Thornton JC, Van Itallie TB, Colt EWD: Body potassium by 4 pi counting: an anthropometric correction. AM J PHYSIOL 1984; 246:F234-F239.
  9. Bernstein MD, Thornton JC, Yang MU, Wang J, Redmond AM, Pierson RN Jr., Pi-Sunyer FX, Van Itallie TB: Prediction of the resting metabolic rate in obese patients. AM J CLIN NUTR 1983; 37:595-602.
  10. Presta E, Wang J, Harrison GG, Bjorntorp P, Harker WH, Van Itallie TB: Measurement of total body electrical conductivity: a new method of estimation of body composition. AM J CLIN NUTR 1983; 37:735.
  11. Kotler DP, Wang J,Pierson RN Jr.: Body composition studies in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AM J CLIN NUTR 1985; 42:1225-1265.
  12. Weinsier RL, Norris DJ, Birch R, Bernstein RS, Pi-Sunyer FX, Yang MU, Wang J, Pierson RN Jr., Van Itallie TB: Serum insulin and blood pressure in an obese population. INT J OBESITY 1986; 10:11-17.
  13. Foster CJ, Weinsier RL, Birch R, Norris DJ, Bernstein RS, Wang J, Pierson RN Jr., Van Itallie TB: Obesity and serum lipids: An evaluation of the relative contribution of body fat and fat distribution in lipid levels. INT J OBESITY 1987; 11:151-161.
  14. Wang J, Colt EWD, Pierson RN Jr.: Body water, extracellular water, body potassium and exchangeable sodium in body builders using anabolic steroids. In K.J. Ellis, S. Yasumura and W.D. Morgan (eds.) IN VIVO BODY COMPOSITION STUDIES, IPSM, London 149-154, 1987.
  15. Johnston PE, Wadden TA, Stunkard AJ, Pena M, Wang J, Pierson RN Jr., Van Itallie TB: Body deposition in adult obese women, Part I; Pattern of fat distribution. AM J CLIN NUTR 1988; 47:225-228.
  16. Pierson RN Jr., Wang J: Body composition denominators for measurements of metabolism: What measurements can be believed? Editorial MAYO CLIN PROC 1988; 63:947-949.
  17. Heymsfield SB, Wang J, Heshka S, Kehayias JJ, Pierson RN Jr.: Dual photon absorptiometry: comparison of bone mineral and soft tissue mass measurements in vivo with established methods. AM J CLIN NUTR 1989; 49:1283-1289.
  18. Wang J, Heymsfield SB, Aulet M, Thornton JC, Pierson RN Jr.: Body fat from body density: UWW vs. dual photon absorptiometry. AM J PHYSIOL 1989; 256: E829-834.
  19. Russell-Aulet M, Wang J, Thornton J, Pierson RN Jr.: Comparison of dual photon absorptiometry systems for total body bone and soft tissue measurements: Dual energy X-ray vs Gadolinium 153. J BONE MIN RES 1991; 6: 411-415.
  20. Pierson RN Jr., Wang J, Heymsfield SB, Russell-Aulet M, Tierney M, Smith R, Thornton J: Measuring body fat: calibrating the rulers. Intermethod comparisons in 389 normal cuacasion subjects.AM.J.PHYSIOL1991;261:E613.
  21. Wang J, Kotler DP, Burastero S, Russell-Aulet M, Thornton JC, Dilmanian FA, Weber DA Kamen Y, Pierson RN Jr. Measuring body fat in AIDS: Which method? Am J Clin Nutr 56: 963-967, 1992.
  22. Wang J, M Russell-Aulet, M Mazariegos, S Burastero, JC Thornton, S Lichtman, SB Heymsfield and RN Pierson Jr. Body fat by dual photon absorptiometry (DPA): Comparisons with traditional methods in Asians, Blacks and Caucasians. Am J Human Biol 4:501-510, 1992.
  23. Wang J, Dilmanian FA, Thornton J, Russell M, Burastero S, Mazariegos M, Heymsfield SB, Peirson RN. In vivo neutron activation analysis for body fat: comparisons by seven methods. In: Ellis KJ, Eastman JD (Eds): Human body composition: In vivo methods, models, and assessment. New York: Plenum Press. 31-34, 1993.
  24. Wang J, Thornton JC, Russell M, Burastero S, Heymsfield SB, Pierson RN. Asians have lower body mass index (BMI) but higher fat% than whites: Comparisons of anthropometric measurements. Am J Clin Nutr 60:23-8, 1994.
  25. Wang J, Thornton JC, Russell M, Burastero S, Heymsfield SB, Pierson RN. Bio-impedance analysis for estimation of total body potassium, total body water and fat-free mass in white, black, and Asian adults. Am J Hum Biol. 7: 33-40, 1995.
  26. Ma KZ, Kotler D, Wang J, Thornton JC, Ma, RM and Pierson RN Jr. Reliability of vivo neutron activation analysis for measuring body composition: Comparisons with tracer dilution and dual-energy x-ray absorpiometry. J Lab Clin Med. 127:420-427, 1996.
  27. Wang J, Thornton JC, Burastero S, Shen J, Tanenbaum S, Heymsfield S, Pierson RN Jr. Comparison for body mass index and body fat percent among Puerto Ricans, Blacks, Whites and Asians living in the New York City Area. Obesity Research. 64:377-384, 1996.
  28. Wang J, Thornton JC, Heymsfield SB, Pierson RN Jr.: Correlation Between Skeletal Calcium Mass and Muscle Mass in Man Revisited: Age, Gender, and Ethnicity. APPL RADIAT ISOT 1998; 49:597-598.
  29. Paxton A, Lederman SA, Heymsfield SB, Wang J, Thornton JC, Pierson RN Jr.: Anthropometric equations for studying body fat in pregnant women. AM J CLIN NUTR 1998; 67:104-110.
  30. Pierson RN Jr., Wang J, Thornton JC, Heymsfield SB: The Quality of the Body Cell Mass-1996. Are We Ready to Measure It? APPL RADIAT ISOT 1998; 49:429-435.
  31. Kotler DP, Thea DM, Allison DB, Wang J, St. Louis M, Keusch GT, Pierson RN Jr.: Relative and Interacting Effects of Sex, Race, and Environment Upon Body Cell Mass in Healthy Adults. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY 1998; 10:259-268.
  32. Marcus MA, Wang J, Pi-Sunyer FX, Thornton JC, Kofopoulou I, Pierson RN Jr.: Effects of Ethnicity, Gender, Obesity, and Age on Central Fat Distribution: Comparison of Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry Measurements in White, Black, and Puerto Rican Adults. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY 1998; 10:361-369.
  33. Wang, J, Thornton JC, Horlick M, Formica C, Wang W, Rahn M, Pierson RN Jr. Dual energy X-ray Absorptiometry in Pediatric Studies: : J Clin Densitometry. 2:135-141, 1999.
  34. Wang J, Horlick M, Thornton JC, Levine LS, Heymsfield SB and Pierson RN Jr. Correlations Between Skeletal Muscle Mass and Bone Mass in Children 6-18 Years: Influences of Sex, Ethnicity, and Pubertal Status. Growth, Development & Aging. 63:99-109, 1999.
  35. Wang J, Thornton JC and Pierson, RN Jr. Anthropometry in body composition: An overview. Ann NY Acad Sci. 904:317-326, 2000.
  36. Arpadi SM, Cuff PA, Kotler DP, Wang J, Bamji M, Lange M, Pierson RN Jr, Matthews DE. Growth velocity, fat-free mass and energy intake are inversely related to viral load in HIV-infected children.J Nutr, 130(10):2498-2502, 2000.
  37. De Lorenzo A, Andreoli A, Puija A, Wang J, Pierson RN Jr. Total Body potassium in healthy Italians and Americans. A cross-calibration study. Ann N Y Acad Sci, 904:366-368, 2000.
  38. Gallagher D, Ruts E, Visser M, Heshka S, Baumgartner RN, Wang J, Pierson RN Jr, Pi-Sunyer FX, Heymsfield SB. Weight stability masks sarcopenia in elderly men and women. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, 279(2):E366-E375, 2000.
  39. Horlick M, Thornton J, Wang J, Levine L. Bone mineral in prepubertal children: Gender and Ethnicity.J Bone and Mineral Res, 2000.
  40. Horlick MB, Rosenbaum M, Nicolson M, Levine LS, Fedun B, Wang J, Pierson RN Jr, Leibel RL. Effects of puberty on the relationship between circulating leptin and body composition. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 85(7):2509-2518, 2000.
  41. Johnson VL, Wang J, Kaskel FJ, Pierson RN Jr. Changes in body composition of children with chronic renal failure on growth hormone. Pediatr Nephrol, 14(7):695-700, 2000.
  42. Kotler DP, Lopez J, Engelson ES, Wang J, Agin D, Heymsfield SB. Interactions among sex, HIV infection, and fat redistribution. AIDS Read, 10(10):589-594, 2000.
  43. Leone PA, Gallagher D, Wang J, Heymsfield SB. Relative over-hydration of fat-free mass in post-obese versus never-obese subjects. Ann N Y Acad Sci, 904:514-519, 2000.
  44. Michener J, Lam S, Kolesnik S, Thornton JC, Wang J, Pierson RN Jr. Skinfold versus bioimpedance analysis for predicting fat-free mass. Ann N Y Acad Sci, 904:339-341, 2000.
  45. Pierson RN Jr, Wang J, Thornton JC. Body composition comes of age: a modest proposal for the next generation. The new reference man. Ann N Y Acad Sci, 904:1-11, 2000.
  46. Rosenbaum K, Wang J, Pierson RN Jr. Kotler DP. Time-dependent variation in weight and body composition in healthy adults. J Parent Ent Nutr, 24(2):52-5, 2000.
  47. Spungen AM, Wang J, Pierson RN Jr, Bauman WA. Soft tissue body composition differences in monozygotic twins discordant for spinal cord injury. J Appl Physiol, 88(4):1310-1315, 2000.
  48. Wang J, Thornton JC, Kolesnik S, Pierson RN Jr. Anthropometry in body composition. An overview. Ann N Y Acad Sci, 904:317-326, 2000.
  49. Agin D, Gallagher D, Wang J, Heymsfield SB, Pierson RN Jr. Kotler DP. Effects of whey protein and resistance exercise on body cell mass, muscle strength, and quality of life in women with HIV. AIDS: 15(18):2431-2440, 2001.
  50. Chumlea WC, Guo SS, Zeller CM, Reo NV, Baumgartner RN, Garry PJ, Wang J, Pierson RN Jr, Heymsfield SB, Siervogel RM. Total body water reference values and prediction equations for adults. -Kidney Int, 59(6):2250-2258, 2001.
  51. Lawal A, Engelson ES, Wang J, Heymsfield SB, Kotler DP. Equivalent osteopenia in HIV-infected individuals studied before and during the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy. AIDS: 15(2):278-280, 2001.
  52. Wang Z, Pi-Sunyer FX, Kotler DP, Wang J, Pierson RN Jr, Heymsfield SB. Magnitude and variation of ratio of total body potassium to fat-free mass: a cellular level modeling study. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, 281(1):E1-E7, 2001.
  53. Andrade S, Lan SJ, Engelson ES, Agin D, Wang J, Heymsfield SB, Kotler DP. Use of a Durnin-Womersley formula to estimate change in subcutaneous fat content in HIV-infected subjects. Am J Clin Nutr, 75(3):587-592, 2002.
  54. Engelson ES, Glesby MJ, Mendez D, Albu JB, Wang J, Heymsfield SB, Kotler DP. Effect of recombinant human growth hormone in the treatment of visceral fat accumulation HIV infection. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr, 30(4):379-391, 2002.
  55. He Q, Horlick M, Fedun B, Wang J, Pierson RN Jr, Heshka S, Gallagher D. Trunk fat and blood pressure in children through puberty. Circulation, 105(9):1093-1098, 2002.
  56. He Q, Horlick M, Wang J, Pierson RN Jr, Heshka S, Gallagher D. Sex and race differences in fat distribution among Asian, African-American, and Caucasians prepubertal children. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 87(5):2164-2170, 2002.
  57. Kaufman BA, Warren MP, Dominquez JE, Wang J, Heymsfield SB, Pierson RN Jr. Bone density and amenorrhea in ballet dancers are related to a decreased resting metabolic rate and lower leptin levels. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 87(6):2777-2783, 2002.
  58. Pietrobelli A, Faith MS, Wang J, Brambilla P, Chiumello G, Heymsfield SB. Association of lean tissue and fat mass with bone mineral content in children and adolescents. Obes Res, 10(1):56-60, 2002.
  59. Song MY, Kim J, Horlick M, Wang J, Pierson RN Jr. Heo M, Gallagher D. Prepubertal Asians have less limb skeletal muscle. J Appl Physiol, 92(6):2285-2291, 2002.
  60. Wang J, Bartsch G, Rahgavan SS, Yurik T, Peng G, Chen L, LeSueur D, Shlay J. Reliability of body circumference and skin fold measurements by observers trained in groups. Am J Public Health, (in press), 2002.
  61. Wang J, Laferrere B, Thornton JC, Pierson RN Jr, Pi-Sunyer FX. Regional subcutaneous fat loss induced by caloric restriction in obese women. Obes Res, 10:885-890, 2002.
  62. Wang J, Thornton JC, Bari S, Williamson B, Gallagher D, Heymsfield SB, Horlick M, Kotler DP, Laferrere B, Nayer L, Pi-Sunyer FX, Pierson RN Jr. Comparison of waist circumferences measured at four sites. Am J Clin Nutr, 77:379-84, 2003.
  63. He Q, Heo M, Heshka S, Wang J, PiersonRN Jr, Albu J, Wang ZM, Heymsfield SB, Gallagher D. Total body potassium differs by sex and race across the adult life span. Am J Clin Nutr. 78:72-7, 2003.
  64. He Q, Horlick M, Wang J, Pierson RN Jr, Heshka S, Gallagher D. Sex and race difference in fat distribution among Asian, African-American, and white pre-pubertal children. J Endo & Metab. 87:2164-2170, 2003.
  65. Padilla J, Ioannidou E, Wang J, Heymsfield SB, Thornton JC, Horlick M, Gallagher D, Pierson RN Jr. Pencil vs. fan-beam dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry comparisons across 4 systems: Bone mineral content and body composition. In Vivo Body Composition Studies, ACTA Diabetologica, 2003 (inpress).
  66. Sopher AB, Horlick M, Wang J, PiersonRN Jr, Heymsfield SB. Pediatric percent body fat (%BF): BIA and BodPod compared to DXA. Pediatric Res. (in press)
  67. Wang J, Thornton JC, Bari S, Williamson B, Gallagher D, Heymsfield SB, Horlick MN, Kotler DP, Laferrere B, Mayer L, Pi-Sunyer FX, Pierson RN Jr. Comparison of waist circumferences measured at four sites. Am J Clin Nutr. 77:379-84, 2003.
  68. Wang J, Thornton JC, Heymsfield SB, PiersonRN Jr. The relationships between body mass index and body cell mass in Asian, African-American and Caucasian adults. In Vivo Body Composition Studies, ACTA Diabetologica, 2003 (in press).
  69. Wang J. Editorial - Waist Circumference: A simple, inexpensive, and reliable tool that should be included as part of physical examination in the doctor's office. Am J Clin Nutr. 78:902-3, 2003.
  70. Wang J, Bartsch G, Rahgavan SS, Yurik T, Peng G, Chen L, LeSueur D, Shlay JC. Reliability of body circumference and skinfold measurements by observers trained in groups. International J Body Comp Res, 2004.
  71. Soriano JMP, Ioannidou E, Wang J, Thornton JC, Horlick MN, Gallagher D, Heymsfield SB, Pierson RN. Pencil-Beam vs. Fan Beam dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry comparisons across four systems: body composition and bone mineral. J Clin Dens. 2004
  72. Wang J, Thornton JC, Ioannidou E, Soriano JMP, Gallagher D, Heysmfield SB, Horlick M, Pierson RN. Comparisons of T-scores for bone mineral density in four bone regions measure by four different dual energy x-ray absorptiometry scanners.(In press) J Clin Dens 2004.

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