Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis to Identify the Affected Body Component in Girls With Celiac Disease

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Nutritional Science
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten ingestion.
• Body composition changes can occur in CD, impacting overall health.
• Understanding these changes is crucial for managing the condition, especially in pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the clinical utility of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in differentiating body composition between female pediatric patients with CD and healthy controls.
• To identify specific body components affected in celiac disease.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 36 female patients (8-17 years) with CD and 72 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (Tanner stage 2-5).
• Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was used to measure body composition parameters.
• Data collected between January 2024 and June 2025.

Main Results:

• Female CD patients exhibited a significantly higher body fat ratio (21.6% ± 3.6%) compared to controls (19.6% ± 4.3%).
• Muscle mass ratio was significantly lower in CD patients (73.9% ± 3.3%) versus controls (75.9% ± 4.0%).
• While trends suggested a higher fat and lower muscle ratio in CD patients with elevated celiac antibodies, these findings were not statistically significant.

Conclusions:

• Female patients with celiac disease demonstrate an elevated total body fat ratio and a reduced muscle mass ratio.
• These body composition alterations persist despite adherence to a gluten-free diet.
• BIA is a viable method for detecting these specific body composition changes in pediatric CD patients.