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Validity of bioelectric impedance for body composition assessment in children
L B Houtkooper1, T G Lohman, S B Going
1Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson 85721.
Insights
Whole-body bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) reliably estimates body composition in children. Combining resistance index with anthropometry offers accurate fat-free body mass and percent fat predictions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Body Composition Analysis
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Accurate body composition assessment is crucial for pediatric health monitoring.
- Whole-body bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a non-invasive method for estimating body composition.
- Existing BIA prediction equations may not be optimal for pediatric populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the reliability and accuracy of whole-body BIA for estimating body composition in children aged 10-14 years.
- To test the hypothesis that the resistance index (RI) can accurately predict fat-free body mass (FFB) and percent fat (%FAT).
- To compare BIA prediction accuracy with anthropometric measures.
Main Methods:
- Whole-body BIA measurements (resistance and reactance) were taken from 94 Caucasian children (10-14 years old).
- Fat-free body mass (FFB) and percent fat (%FAT) were determined using multicomponent equations as criterion variables.
- The resistance index (RI = height²/resistance) was calculated and used in prediction models.
Main Results:
- BIA measurements demonstrated good reliability.
- RI alone predicted FFB with a standard error of the estimate (SEE) of 2.6 kg.
- Combining RI, anthropometry, and reactance improved FFB prediction to an SEE of 1.9 kg and %FAT to an SEE of 3.3%.
Conclusions:
- The resistance index (RI) combined with anthropometric variables provides a reliable and acceptably accurate method for estimating FFB and %FAT in children.
- BIA prediction equations developed for adults showed similar accuracy when cross-validated in this pediatric sample.
- Whole-body BIA is a viable tool for assessing body composition in pediatric populations.
Abstract:
Whole-body bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was evaluated for its reliability and accuracy in estimating body composition in children. The hypothesis that the index, body height2 divided by resistance (RI), can accurately predict fat-free body mass (FFB) and percent fat (%FAT) in children was tested on 94 caucasian children 10-14 yr old. Criterion variables were FFB and %FAT estimated using multicomponent equations developed for children. BIA measurements (resistance and reactance) were found to be reliable. Prediction accuracy (standard error of the estimate, SEE) for FFB from RI alone was 2.6 kg and for %FAT from RI and body weight was 4.2%. For RI, anthropometric variables and reactance, the SEE improved to 1.9 kg FFB. For RI and anthropometric variables, the SEE was 3.3% FAT. For anthropometric variables alone, the SEE's were 2.1 kg FFB and 3.2% FAT. Adult FFB and %FAT prediction equations cross-validated with this sample resulted in SEE's similar to those for adult samples. We conclude that RI together with anthropometry is a reliable and an acceptably accurate method of estimating FFB mass and %FAT in children.