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Pediatric reference data for lean tissue properties: density and hydration from age 5 to 20 y

Jonathan C K Wells1, Jane E Williams, Sirinuch Chomtho

  • 1Institute of Child Health, London, UK. j.wells@ich.ucl.ac.uk

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|January 22, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Accurate pediatric body composition assessment requires updated hydration and density values. New empirical data reveal previously used reference values are inaccurate, leading to significant bias in fat percentage calculations.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric physiology
  • Body composition analysis
  • Biometrics

Background:

  • Hydrometry and densitometry are common methods for assessing pediatric body composition.
  • Accuracy relies on valid age- and sex-specific constants for lean tissue hydration and density.
  • Empirical data on these constants and their variability are scarce.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To measure lean tissue hydration and density in a large pediatric sample.
  • To develop new prediction equations for these parameters.
  • To compare new values with existing reference data.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a 4-component model to measure body composition in 533 healthy children and adolescents (aged 4-23 years).
  • Employed the LMS method to determine age- and sex-specific median values for hydration and density.
  • Generated prediction equations using regression analysis based on age, sex, and BMI SDS.

Main Results:

  • Observed sex-specific differences in age-associated changes in lean tissue density and hydration.
  • Published reference values introduced a mean bias of 2.1% in fat percentage compared to empirical data.
  • Age, sex, and BMI SDS were significant predictors; higher BMI SDS correlated with higher hydration and lower density.

Conclusions:

  • Lean tissue chemical maturation is nonlinear and sex-dependent.
  • Existing reference values for pediatric hydrometry and densitometry are inaccurate and cause significant bias.
  • New empirical reference values are provided, highlighting the need for research including diverse ethnic groups.
Abstract

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