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The relationship between short-term changes in weight and lower leg length in children and young adults
S F Ahmed1, B W Wardhaugh, J Duff
1University of Edinburgh, UK.
Insights
Lower leg length and weight fluctuations are linked, with greater weight changes potentially impacting leg length measurements. Careful consideration of weight is crucial for accurate longitudinal studies of lower leg length.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Human Physiology
- Anthropometry
Background:
- The knemometer is increasingly utilized for studying lower leg length changes.
- Understanding the relationship between lower leg length and weight is vital for accurate interpretation of knemometer data.
- Weight fluctuations can influence anthropometric measurements, necessitating careful consideration in clinical and research settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To delineate the relationship between lower leg length and weight fluctuations.
- To investigate how weight changes affect lower leg length measurements in children and adults.
- To assess the impact of pregnancy-related weight gain on lower leg length.
Main Methods:
- Measurements of lower leg length and weight were taken in 26 children and 9 adults.
- Statistical analysis, including the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, was employed to assess relationships and differences.
- Data were analyzed to identify correlations between daily fluctuations and sustained weight changes.
Main Results:
- A weak positive relationship was observed between lower leg length and weight fluctuation in children.
- Daily fluctuations in lower leg length and weight were more pronounced in women than in men.
- Sustained weight gain during pregnancy initially reduced lower leg length, followed by an increase coinciding with edema.
Conclusions:
- Lower leg length changes correlate positively with modest weight changes.
- Significant sustained weight gain can compress the lower leg, potentially reversing the expected effect on length.
- Weight must be carefully considered in longitudinal studies of lower leg length, particularly in conditions with substantial weight variations.
Abstract:
As the knemometer is increasingly being used to study changes in lower leg length in conditions associated with weight changes it is important to clearly delineate the relationship between these two variables. Lower leg length and weight were measured in 26 children and nine adults including one pregnant woman. There was a weak but positive relationship between lower leg length and weight fluctuation in children. Daily fluctuations in weight as well as lower leg length were higher in women than men; median lower leg length fluctuation: women, 0.16 mm (P5-0, P95-0.7); men, 0.1 mm (P5-0, P95-0.48) p approximately 0.02, Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Median weight fluctuation: women 0.15 kg (P5-0, P95-0.54); men, 0.1 kg (P5-0, P95-0.5) p = 0.94 (Wilcoxon signed-rank test). Sustained weight gain in pregnancy led to a reduction in lower leg length followed by an increase which was coincident with the appearance of dependent oedema. Lower leg length changes are likely to be positively related to changes in weight when the latter are only modest in magnitude. However, greater sustained increases in weight are likely to have an opposite effect on lower leg length due to direct compression of the lower leg. Due consideration of weight is essential in longitudinal studies of lower leg length changes, especially in conditions which are associated with significant changes in weight.