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Body composition in human infants at birth and postnatally
W W Koo1, J C Walters, E M Hockman
1Departments of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tennessee, Memphis, TN, USA.
The Journal of Nutrition
|August 26, 2000
Summary
Body weight and length accurately predict infant lean mass (LM) and fat mass (FM) using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). These measurements are crucial for nutritional studies in infants.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Body Composition Analysis
- Anthropometry
Background:
- Accurate assessment of infant body composition, including lean mass (LM) and fat mass (FM), is vital for monitoring growth and the efficacy of nutritional interventions.
- Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is a key technology for measuring body composition, but its application in infants requires understanding predictive factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the predictive values of various factors (anthropometric measurements, race, gender, age, season) for DXA-derived body composition in infants.
- To assess the predictive value of body weight, LM, and FM for DXA bone measurements.
- To provide data for designing and evaluating infant nutritional intervention studies.
Main Methods:
- DXA scans were performed on 214 singleton infants (Caucasian and African American) aged 27-42 weeks gestational age, studied from birth to 391 days.
- Predictive values of anthropometric measurements, race, gender, gestational and postnatal ages, and season were analyzed for LM, FM, and %FM.
- Software version 5.64p was used to analyze scans acquired with a Hologic QDR 1000/W densitometer.
Main Results:
- Body weight, length, gender, and postnatal age were significant predictors of LM (adjusted R² >0.94) and FM (adjusted R² >0.85).
- Body weight was the primary predictor for LM and FM; length showed similar LM predictive value with increasing age.
- Physiological variables had limited predictive value for %FM, except in newborns (adjusted R² 0.69). Female infants exhibited lower LM and higher FM.
- LM or FM did not improve bone mass prediction compared to body weight.
Conclusions:
- DXA is a valuable tool for infant body composition assessment.
- Infant body weight and length are strong predictors of LM and FM, essential for nutritional study design.
- Understanding these predictive factors aids in the accurate assessment and design of nutritional interventions for infants.