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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
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The influence of supine posture on chest wall volume changes is higher in obese than in normal weight children

Letícia Silva1, Jacqueline de Melo Barcelar, Catarina Souza Rattes

  • 1a Departamento de Fisioterapia da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil.

Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism = Physiologie Appliquee, Nutrition Et Metabolisme
|February 3, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Obese children exhibit altered breathing mechanics in the supine position, with reduced rib cage contribution and increased abdominal contribution to tidal volume. This postural change may lead to lung hypoventilation in obese children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Biomechanical Analysis
  • Obesity Research

Background:

  • Obesity significantly impacts respiratory mechanics in children.
  • Understanding thoraco-abdominal kinematics is crucial for assessing respiratory function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze thoraco-abdominal kinematics in obese children during quiet breathing in seated and supine positions.
  • To compare respiratory mechanics between obese and normal-weight children across different postures.

Main Methods:

  • Observational study involving 35 children (8-12 years), divided into obese (>95th percentile) and normal-weight groups.
  • Optoelectronic plethysmography used to assess pulmonary function, ventilatory patterns, and chest wall volume variations.
  • Evaluated forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC ratio, and thoraco-abdominal asynchronies.

Main Results:

  • Tidal volume was greater in the seated position for all children.
  • In the supine position, both obese and normal-weight children showed smaller pulmonary and abdominal rib cage contributions to tidal volume.
  • Obese children uniquely demonstrated a greater abdominal tidal volume and contribution in the supine position compared to controls.

Conclusions:

  • Supine posture influences thoraco-abdominal kinematics in obese children, increasing abdominal contribution and decreasing rib cage contribution to ventilation.
  • These kinematic changes in the supine position may indicate potential areas of lung hypoventilation in obese children.

Keywords:
childcinématiqueenfantinstrumentationkinematicsobesityobésitéoptoelectronic plethysmographypléthysmographie optoélectroniquepositionrespiratory function teststests de fonction respiratoire

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