Body Composition Assessment in 11-16 years old children

Background: Body composition assessment of children has been hindered by the absence of a safe, quick, and easily tolerated gold standard technique. Existing validation studies of air-displacement plethysmography (ADP) have been based on small, narrowly defined samples, using simple linear regression or Bland–Altman analyses.Aim: Correlations within a multitrait–multimethod matrix (MTMM) and factor analytic methodologies were used to evaluate ADP as a valid and reliable body composition technique for children.Subjects and methods: Fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM) and per cent body fat (%BF) were measured in 139 children, 7–10 years old, by ADP, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and anthropometry (ANTH). MTMM and factor analysis were used to compare assessment techniques.Results: Reliability estimates were lower for ADP than for either ANTH or DXA. Convergent and discriminant correlations between ADP and ANTH or DXA were high for identical as well as non-identical measures. Two body composition factors (Fatness, Leanness) and two technique-related factors (Bod Pod, Anthropometry) were identified.Conclusion: ADP offers a valid and reliable means of assessing body composition in children but does not perform as well as ANTH or DXA. MTMM and factor analytic methodologies offer an effective alternative to assessing body composition.

Metabolic Profile & Body Composition in Egyptian Children with Transfusion-Dependent Egyptian B-Thalassemia

Growth failure is a common complication in children with beta-thalassemia major (β-TM) that has persisted despite major treatment advances. It could stem from malnutrition, especially in those who live in poor countries and who have inadequate nutrient intake. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of nutrition on growth, total body composition, and metabolic profile in Egyptian children with β-TM. This cross-sectional study included 200 children with β-TM and 50 age-matched and sex-matched healthy children. All subjects underwent full clinical assessment, which included assessment of growth and total body composition using anthropometric measurements (weight, height, mid-arm circumference, skinfold thickness, and body mass index) and bioelectric impedance analysis device (TANITA SC330). Nutritional assessment was performed using 24-hour dietary recall. Fasting serum insulin, C-peptide, and fasting serum lipid profile (high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, cholesterol, and triglyceride) were measured. Children with β-TM had a significantly lower mean value of the daily consumption of the studied nutrient elements including kilocalories, protein, carbohydrate, calcium, and phosphorus (P<0.001). β-TM had a negative impact on anthropometric measures; the mean of all measurements recorded in children with β-TM was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.001). Children with β-TM had a significant abnormality in lipid profile, with higher triglyceride levels and lower cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein than controls. They had significantly lower serum insulin and C-peptide. Age, sex, serum ferritin, and caloric intake have a significant impact on body composition in children with β-TM. Regular assessment of nutrition is crucial for the health of children with β-TM.

Aim: To compare body composition in children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) not naïve to growth hormone (GH) with obese and lean controls. Methods: Participants included 12 children with PWS, 12 children with obesity (body fat percentage >95th percentile for age and sex) and 12 lean children (body fat percentage <85th percentile for age and sex) matched by age and height. Fat mass, lean mass, bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD) and BMD z-score for total body, hips and lumbar spine were obtained through dual X-ray absorptiometry. Results: PWS had higher fat percentage in the legs (p = 0.04) but similar leg fat mass (p = 1.00) compared to obese. PWS exhibited lower lean mass in the body (p = 0.04) and legs (p = 0.02) than obese, but similar to lean (p = 1.00 and p = 0.89, respectively). PWS had lower hip BMC (p < 0.01), BMD (p < 0.01) and BMD z-score (p < 0.01) compared to obese but similar to lean. No other differences were found between PWS and obese (p > 0.05 for all). Conclusions: Children with PWS not naïve to GH present differences in fat and lean mass distribution compared to obese controls. BMC and BMD appear unaffected by PWS, except at the hips.

The aim of this study was to assess body composition in children with chronic renal failure (CRF) and post renal transplantation (Tx), and to compare it to body mass index (BMI) and nutritional intake. Dietary assessment using 3-day diaries, total and regional body composition assessment by dual x-ray energy absorptiometry of 50 CRF children (29M, 21F), median age 8.9 yrs and 50 Tx children (32M, 18F), median age 12.9 yrs. BMI, percentage fat mass (%FM) and lean mass (LM) were corrected for height and expressed as SDS (HSDS). In both groups, BMIHSDS was lower than %FMHSDS and higher than LMHSDS (p<0.05). In the Tx group, there were associations on bivariate analysis between energy & protein intake and BMIHSDS & %FMHSDS (r,0.5, p<0.05), and between LMHSDS and protein intake (r,0.5, p<0.05). On multivariate analysis, there was an association between LMHSDS and time since transplantation (r,-0.4, p<0.05). Children in the CRF and Tx groups had a high percentage predicted trunk:leg FM ratio of 148% and 157%, respectively. Children with CRF and Tx have discordant body composition with a relatively high FM and low LM, which is not reflected by BMI. In addition, they appear to have an increased level of central adiposity that may predispose them to increased morbidity in later life.

Body density (Db) of 54 boys and girls 10-18 years of age (13.9 +/- 2.4 years) was measured in an air-displacement plethysmograph, the BOD POD, and compared to Db determined by hydrodensitometry (HW). Both Db values were converted to percent body fat (%BF) using a two-component model conversion formula and compared to %BF determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Body density estimated from the BOD POD (1.04657 +/- 0.01825 g/cc) was significantly higher than that estimated from HW (1.04032 +/- 0.01872 g/cc). The relative body fat calculated from the BOD POD (23.12 +/- 8.39 %BF) was highly correlated but, on average, 2.9% BF lower than %BF DXA. Average %BF estimates from HW and DXA were not significantly different. Despite consistently underestimating the %BF of children, the strong relationship between DXA and the BOD POD suggests that further investigation may improve the accuracy of the BOD POD for assessing body composition in children.

The aim of the study was to longitudinally characterize infancy to preschool body composition trajectories and the association of early fat and fat-free mass gains with preschool age body composition in children born premature versus full-term. A cohort of appropriate-for-gestational age preterm (n = 20) and term (n = 51) infants were followed at 3 visits: "neonatal" visit 1 at 2 weeks of age for term and near term corrected age for preterm; "infancy" visit 2 at 3 to 4 months (preterm corrected age); "preschool" visit 3 at 4 years. Body composition via air displacement plethysmography and anthropometrics were measured at all visits. Tracking of infancy weight and body composition with preschool measurements was tested using Pearson partial correlation coefficients. Associations between serial body composition measurements were assessed using multiple linear regression. Early differences in body composition between premature (mean gestational age 31.9 weeks, mean birth weight 1843 g) and full-term (mean gestational age 39.8 weeks) infants were not present at preschool age. Visit 1 body composition was not correlated with preschool measurements in the preterm infants. Visit 2 measurements were correlated with preschool measures. Fat-free mass accretion from visit 1 to visit 2 was positively associated with preschool lean mass (β = 0.038, P = 0.049) in preterm children, whereas fat accretion was not associated with preschool body composition. Children born prematurely and full-term have similar body composition at preschool age. For preterms infancy fat-free mass gains, and not adiposity gains, are positively associated with preschool fat-free mass; this may be associated with lower risk of later obesity and adverse metabolic outcomes.

We assessed bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition in children with Noonan's syndrome (NS) before and during growth hormone (GH) treatment. Sixteen children (12 boys, 4 girls) with NS aged 5.8-14.2 (mean 10.0) years were studied for 2 years. Anthropometry, BMD measurements by radiographic absorptiometry and bioimpedance measurements (Akern-BIA 101/S) were performed at baseline and after 3, 6, 12 and 24 months. Daily GH dosage was 0.05 mg/kg. Trabecular volumetric BMD was normal; cortical BMD was in the lower normal range at baseline and slightly increased over the 2 years. Fat free mass and total body water were below normal at the start and increased significantly over the first 3 months, with a slight increment thereafter. Percentage fat mass decreased over the first 6 months and increased thereafter. These findings are comparable to the data on body composition in short normal children and girls with Turner's syndrome treated with GH.

Effects of a nutritional intervention with calcium caseinate on body composition in children with obesity

Bone mass and body composition in children with chronic cholestasis before and after liver transplantation

Born Large for Gestational Age: Bigger Is Not Always Better

The aim of this review was to determine the association between carotenoid status and body composition in children 2 - 18 years of age. Obesity is often related to poor dietary habits and lower fruit and vegetable consumption in children. Fruit and vegetables are the primary sources of antioxidant-rich dietary carotenoids; decreased intake may lead to increased risk of chronic diseases. Identifying those with lower carotenoid status in childhood could be an important target for public health intervention. Research methods for the review were conducted using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) checklist and the Central Michigan University library, via multiple scientific databases. Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms were utilized to identify relevant studies for inclusion. Twenty-three studies were included in the review (n = 16,285). Thirteen studies reported a significant inverse association between carotenoid status and body composition in children (p < 0.05), (n = 15,206). Five additional studies had varying associations between body composition and carotenoid status based on the type of carotenoid and/or measure of carotenoid status (n = 763). Carotenoid status is inversely associated with body composition; however, varying degrees of association were observed in this review. It remains to be determined whether this association is related to intake, fat mass or a combination of the two.

A healthy diet is fundamental for healthy growth and for future disease prevention. However, scientific consensus on how to compose healthy diets for children has not been established. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to investigate if an independent effect exists between foods, beverages or the composition of macronutrients and body composition in children and adolescents. A systematic search was performed in four databases up to July 2021. A systematic review of randomized controlled studies (RCTs) and meta-analyses were carried out by extracting mean difference (MDs) and standard deviation (SD) and performed using the random effect model. Sixteen RCTs met inclusion criteria. Beyond dairy, sugar-sweetened beverages and macronutrient composition, no trials were identified for other food groups. Based on five RCTs (n:5), a higher-dairy diet was found to reduce body fat percentage - 0.47 [- 0.92, - 0.03] (p = 0.04). A higher-dairy diet was also found to increase lean body mass (kg) 0.34 [0.06, 0.62] (p = 0.02) (n:2), but did not affect BMI z-score - 0.05 [- 0.16, 0.06] (p = 0.39) (n:4). Substituting sugar-sweetened beverage with non-caloric beverages or flavored milk reduced body fat percentage (- 0.70 [- 0.78, - 0.62] (p < 0.001)) (n:3) but did not change BMI z-score (- 0.05 [- 0.20, 0.09] (p = 0.48)) (n:2). No significant effects were found between different macronutrient compositions and BMI z-score or body fat percentage. Changes in diet from low to higher-dairy consumption and from sugar-sweetened beverages to non-caloric beverages or flavored milk resulted in favorable changes in body composition among children and adolescents. Eligible studies investigating other foods are lacking. PROSPERO registration number (CRD42020173201).

Are spexin levels associated with metabolic syndrome, dietary intakes and body composition in children?

Body composition in healthy singleton term infants using the three-dimensional photonic scanning method: A multicenter cross-sectional study