The relationships between total and regional body composition, intra-abdominal adipose tissue (IAAT), resting metabolic rate (RMR), and substrate oxidation were examined in 43 highly trained women athletes and 14 sedentary women aged 18-69 yr. Athletes were divided into four groups (18-29, 30-39, 40-49, and 50-69 yr) and controls into two groups (18-29 and 40-50 yr). Maximal oxygen consumption declined with age (r = -0.52, P < 0.0005) in the athletes and was higher in all groups of athletes than in controls (P < 0.0001). No differences in percent fat and fat-free mass (FFM) were found between the youngest and oldest athletes. Although body mass index was < 25 kg/m2 in all subjects, percent body fat and total fat mass were higher in controls than in athletes for both young and older women (all P < 0.05). FFM was higher in young athletes than in young controls (P < 0.0001). Despite similar percent fat among athletes, IAAT increased with age (r = 0.75, P < 0.0001), but subcutaneous abdominal fat and sagittal diameter did not. IAAT and subcutaneous abdominal fat were also higher in young controls than in young athletes and in older controls than in older athletes (all P < 0.005). Age and FFM were independent predictors of the decline in RMR in the athletes. Fat oxidation (g/day) was highest in the youngest athletes and declined with age (r = -0.47, P < 0.005). We conclude that intense chronic exercise in women athletes prevented the decline in FFM with age. Endurance-trained women have low IAAT stores, which may potentially reduce subsequent risk associated with the metabolic syndrome.