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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
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Changes in Children's Body Composition and Posture during Puberty Growth
Wojciech Rusek1, Joanna Baran2,3, Justyna Leszczak2,3
1Rehabilitation Centre Rehamed-Center Sp z o.o. Tajecina 66A, 36-002 Tajęcina, Poland.
Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|April 30, 2021
Summary
Childhood puberty significantly impacts body composition and posture. Older children, especially girls, show increased asymmetry and adipose tissue, while younger children exhibit trunk and pelvic anomalies. Monitoring growth is crucial.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric endocrinology
- Biomedical engineering
- Anthropometry
Background:
- Body composition and posture development are influenced by age and pubertal status in children.
- Understanding these changes is vital for identifying potential health risks early on.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of age, puberty, and anthropometric parameters on body composition and posture in children.
- To identify body segments most affected by postural abnormalities and how gender impacts these changes during puberty.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Zebris system for body posture assessment and the Tanita MC 780 MA analyzer for body composition analysis in 464 schoolchildren (ages 6-16).
- Participants were categorized based on Tanner puberty stages.
- Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, stepwise regression, and t-tests, with significance set at p < 0.05.
Main Results:
- Older children exhibited lower pelvic obliquity (beta = -0.15). Age significantly affected pelvic height difference (beta = -0.28) and right shoulder height difference (beta = 0.23).
- Adipose tissue (FAT%) increased with BMI and decreased with weight, age, and height, being lower in boys (beta = -0.39).
- Children in puberty showed greater asymmetry in the right shoulder blade and shoulder. Younger children had more anomalies in left trunk inclination and pelvic obliquity. Girls in puberty displayed more right-sided asymmetry (shoulders, scapula, pelvis) and increased adipose tissue, while boys showed more muscle tissue development and scapular asymmetry.
Conclusions:
- Puberty significantly alters body composition and posture, with distinct patterns observed between genders and age groups.
- Adolescents undergoing puberty are at higher risk for postural asymmetries, particularly on the right side in girls.
- Continuous monitoring of growing children is recommended to prevent adverse effects of poor posture and excessive adipose tissue accumulation.
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