Prediction of Visceral Adipose Tissue Using Air Displacement Plethysmography in Children

Objective: To determine the ability of air displacement plethysmography (ADP) to predict visceral adipose tissue (VAT) volume in children. Research Methods and Procedures: Fifty‐five (33 boys/22 girls) white children 13 to 14 years old were studied. Anthropometric measures were collected for body mass, stature, BMI, and waist‐to‐hip ratio (WHR), and body fat percentage was estimated from triceps and subscapular skinfolds, bioelectrical impedance analysis, and ADP. VAT volume was determined using magnetic resonance imaging, using a multiple slice protocol at levels L1 to L5. Results: Boys had significantly (p ≤ 0.05) less VAT volume than girls [645.1 (360.5) cm³ vs. 1035.8 (717.3) cm³]. ADP explained the greatest proportion of the variance in VAT volume compared with the other anthropometric measures. Multiple regression analysis indicated that VAT volume was best predicted by ADP body fat percentage in boys [r² = 0.81, SE of the estimate (SEE) = 160.1, SEE coefficient of variation = 25%] and by WHR and BMI in girls (r² = 0.80, SEE = 337.71, SEE coefficient of variation = 33%). Discussion: Compared with the other anthropometric measures, ADP explains the greatest proportion of the variance in VAT volume in children 13 to 14 years old. For boys, ADP is the tool of choice to predict VAT volume, yet using the more simply collected measures of BMI and WHR is recommended for girls. However, large SE of the estimates remained, suggesting that if precision is needed, there is no surrogate for direct imaging of VAT.     

Body composition in Egyptian Turner syndrome girls

OBJECTIVE:

This cross-sectional study was undertaken to construct the new body fat % curve and provide body composition reference data for adolescent girls with Turner syndrome (TS). They diagnosed cytogenetically by blood karyotyping and not treated with growth hormone (GH).

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

The study included 70 TS girls from age 13 years to age 17 years. Body composition was measured by bioelectrical impedance. Smoothed centile charts were derived by using the least mean square (LMS) method.

RESULTS:

The new body fat curves reflect the increase of body fat mass (FM) from age 13 years to age 17 years. Body FM % of Egyptian TS girls was lower when compared with age-matched American untreated TS girls.

CONCLUSION:

This study presents the new body fat curves and reference values of body composition for untreated Egyptian TS adolescent girls. The present charts can be used for direct assessment of body FM % for Egyptian TS girls and evaluation for cases on GH treatment or other growth promoting therapy.     

Age-related changes of body composition structure based on differences in morphological qualities of Japanese preschool children

This study aims to clarify age-related changes of body composition structure in terms of the percentages of body fat and muscle (muscle mass/weight×100) in preschool children by using BMI. The subjects were 533 preschool children, comprising 260 boys and 273 girls. Regression analysis for BMI was performed and a regression polynomial of a proper order was determined. After examining the validity of the order in a regression polynomial for %Fat and muscle percentages for BMI, a regression polynomial evaluation chart was made up. After judging the degree of fat or muscle accumulation from BMI and the fat or muscle percentages for each age group of the boys and girls, a frequency distribution map of excessive development and underdevelopment of fat and muscle was drawn up and its age-related changes were examined. As a result, a complementary relationship was confirmed to exist between BMI and %Fat in preschool children. In contrast, an opposite relationship was found for BMI and muscle percentages. These results suggest that BMI can be used as an index of muscle percentages as well as %Fat. As a final result, the distribution composition map of fat and muscle percentages for BMI does not show changes with age from infancy in preschool boys as a whole, but it does show such changes in girls. It is inferred that preschool girls show, due to early maturity, earlier changes (fat decrease) toward an integrated child's body than do boys.     

Physical Activity as a Predictor of Body Composition in American Indian Children

Objective: To examine physical activity in second grade American Indian children as a predictor of percentage body fat 3 years later. Research Methods and Procedures: Physical activity was assessed as average vector magnitude (AVM) counts from an accelerometer in 454 second grade children as part of the Pathways study. BMI was assessed, and skinfolds and bioelectrical impedance were used to estimate fat mass, fat‐free body mass, and percentage body fat in validated prediction equations. Associations were examined using mixed models regression controlling for baseline body composition. Results: In normal‐weight children, higher AVM counts were significantly associated with decreases in percentage body fat. Among overweight children, higher AVM counts were significantly associated with increases in BMI, fat mass, and fat‐free mass but not percentage body fat. Discussion: Higher physical activity levels in second grade were associated with lower levels of percentage body fat in fifth grade in normal‐weight but not in overweight children. BMI showed no association with physical activity among normal‐weight children, and increases in BMI were associated with increasing amounts of physical activity among overweight children. These findings emphasize the importance of valid body composition measures and may indicate important differences in associations between physical activity and adiposity in normal‐weight as compared with overweight children.     

Effect of physical training on body composition in Moscow adolescents

The influence of physical activity on body mass components has been studied using a sample of Moscow children. 195 girls and 259 boys of Russian ethnicity from 12 to 17 years old were investigated cross-sectionally in 2005 in different Moscow schools. According to the level of physical activity they were divided into three groups: 1-those who did not take part in regular physical exercise (44 boys and 50 girls); 2-those who took part in special sports programs in general education schools (82 boys and 82 girls); 3-students of special sports schools with a high sports ranking (133 boys and 63 girls). The program included anthropometric measurements, evaluation of sexual maturation indices, somatotypes, and "functional" traits (diastolic and systolic blood pressure, pulse rate, hand grip, etc). For the study of body composition, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was used. The estimates of body mass components were also calculated using the anthropometric measurements. For the fat component, the estimates obtained by BIA and the anthropometric methods were highly correlated: r=0.85-0.88. Age changes of BIA measurements and body components were analysed. With multiple regression analysis it was shown that BIA measurements are dependent on a great number of morphological and functional traits, with the most informative sets of traits being selected. The degree of physical activity has a strong effect on body components: the contents of fat-free mass (FFM) and total body water (TBW) significantly increase, and the fat mass (FM) in girls decreases.     

Tracking of anthropometric parameters and bioelectrical impedance in pubertal boys and girls

The aim of this study was to investigate the anthropometric parameters and body impedance once per year during four years of the pubertal period in Estonian children. In total, 81 boys and 86 girls aged 10-11 years at the beginning of the study were investigated. Pubertal status was self-assessed by sexual maturation stages according to Tanner and physical activity index (PAI) according to Telama et al.. Body height and weight were measured and body mass index (BMI) calculated. In total, 9 skinfolds, 13 girths, 8 lengths and 8 breadths/lengths were measured according to the protocol of the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry. Somatotype components were estimated according to the method of Carter and Heath. Body impedance was measured using Multiscan 5000 (Bodystat, UK) and the impedance index (height/impedance) was calculated. The tracking of body height, weight, BMI, skinfolds, girths, lengths, breadth/lengths and body impedance was high (as a rule r> or =0.9). By increasing the time period, the correlation slightly decreased. In contrast, tracking correlations for PAI and Tanner stages were significant but quite low. Increase in mean body height was highest between 12-13 years of age (6.9 cm per year) in boys and in girls between 11-12 years of age (6.3 cm per year). In boys and girls, the peak increase in body weight was between 11 and 12 years of age, 5.7 kg and 5.2 kg, respectively. With the increasing age, body impedance decreased and impedance index increased. In conclusion, our results indicate that during puberty the detailed anthropometric parameters and body impedance tracked highly. However, the tracking of PAI and Tanner stages was significant but relatively low.     

Gender differences in fat patterning in children living in Ankara

Body composition is an excellent indicator for assessing obesity and nutritional status of both individuals and populations. Youth obesity has important health and social implications, because a large proportion of adult obesity has its origin in childhood. Numerous studies report that adverse levels of cardiovascular diseases risk factors are associated with adiposity in children. Concerning the Turkish population there is up to now only limited information with regard to adiposity in children. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the anthropometric and body composition characteristics and to investigate sex differences in fat patterning including fat distribution in a group of children living in Ankara. The present study evaluated the body composition of 332 boys and 269 girls aged between 8 and 11 years, attending public schools. It was carried out by a cross-sectional study and was focused on that anthropometric variables, which reflect body fat and fat-free mass. Anthropometric measurements including height, weight, triceps and subscapular skinfolds thickness were carried out on these children. The body mass index (BMI) was also calculated. The measurements were used to estimate the two-compartment model of body composition: fat-free mass (FFM) and body fat (BF) from skinfold equations. The mean fat percentage in boys is highest at 11 years (16.8%) and lowest at 10 years (15.6%). In girls these figures come to 18.2% and 17.1%, respectively. Girls of these age groups have a significantly larger percentage of body fat and skinfold thickness. At this young age there is therefore clear evidence of sexual dimorphism in fat patterning, as girls are showing a greater subcutaneous adiposity, which is mainly contributed by the triceps fat. The body fat (kg) increases in both sexes all over the investigated age groups. The Pearson correlation matrix showed a high significant relation between the anthropometric measurements (p < 0.01). The present study confirms the findings that sexual dimorphism of fat patterning in children is to be seen in the age of 8 - 11 years. It furthermore presents basic data of body composition, which could serve as reference data in other studies on the Turkish population.     

A comparison of skinfolds and leg-to-leg bioelectrical impedance for the assessment of body composition in children

BACKGROUND: This field-based investigation examined the congruence between skinfolds and bioelectrical impedance in assessing body composition in children. METHODS: Subjects were 162 female and 160 male children 10-15 years of age. Skinfold measures obtained at the triceps and medial calf and a leg-to-leg bioelectrical impedance system were used to determine percent fat using child-specific equations. Pearson product moment correlations were performed on the percent fat values obtained using skinfolds and bioelectric impedance for the entire data set. Separate correlations were also conducted on gender and age/gender subsets. Dependent t tests were used to compare the two techniques. RESULTS: Percent fat did not differ between skinfolds and bioelectrical impedance for the total subject pool. Bioelectrical impedance overestimated percent fat in girls by 2.6% and underestimated percent fat in boys by 1.7% (p < 0.01). Correlations between skinfolds and bioelectrical impedance ranged from r = 0.51 to r = 0.90. CONCLUSIONS: Leg-to-leg bioelectrical impedance may be a viable alternative field assessment technique that is comparable to skinfolds. The small differences in percent fat between the two techniques may have limited practical significance in school-based health-fitness settings.     

Evaluation of Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis for Identifying Overweight Individuals at Increased Cardiometabolic Risk: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective

To investigate whether bioelectrical impedance analysis could be used to identify overweight individuals at increased cardiometabolic risk, defined as the presence of metabolic syndrome and/or diabetes.

Design and Methods

Cross-sectional study of a Scottish population including 1210 women and 788 men. The diagnostic performance of thresholds of percentage body fat measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis to identify people at increased cardiometabolic risk was assessed using receiver-operating characteristic curves. Odds ratios for increased cardiometabolic risk in body mass index categories associated with values above compared to below sex-specific percentage body fat thresholds with optimal diagnostic performance were calculated using multivariable logistic regression analyses. The validity of bioelectrical impedance analysis to measure percentage body fat in this population was tested by examining agreement between bioelectrical impedance analysis and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in a subgroup of individuals.

Results

Participants were aged 16-91 years and the optimal bioelectrical impedance analysis cut-points for percentage body fat for identifying people at increased cardiometabolic risk were 25.9% for men and 37.1% for women. Stratifying by these percentage body fat cut-points, the prevalence of increased cardiometabolic risk was 48% and 38% above the threshold and 24% and 19% below these thresholds for men and women, respectively. By comparison, stratifying by percentage body fat category had little impact on identifying increased cardiometabolic risk in normal weight and obese individuals. Fully adjusted odds ratios of being at increased cardiometabolic risk among overweight people with percentage body fat ≥25.9/37.1% compared with percentage body fat <25.9/37.1% as a reference were 1.93 (95% confidence interval: 1.20–3.10) for men and 1.79 (1.10–2.92) for women.

Conclusion

Percentage body fat measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis above a sex-specific threshold could be used in overweight people to identify individuals at increased cardiometabolic risk, who could benefit from risk factor management.     

Body build related body composition and nutrition in adulthood--a comparison of skinfold thickness measurement and bioelectric impedance analysis

The objective of the present study was to conduct a comprehensive analysis of body build, body composition and nutritional status. The study sample consists of 498 men and women aged from 35 to 65 years. Subjects underwent a detailed anthropometric examination incompassing thirty-one body measurements, eleven skinfold thickness measurements, and bioelectrical impedance analysis for determination of body composition. Dietary intake was assessed by a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Body composition was clearly associated with age and body build. Somatometric differentiation by use of the metric index showed that percentage of body fat was significantly higher in pycnomorphic compared to leptomorphic subjects, whereas reported dietary energy intake was lower. Comparison of estimates of body fat showed considerably deviating results for skinfold thickness measurements and bioelectrical impedance analysis depending on the equations used. This was especially pronounced in obese subjects, where, on an average, bioelectrical impedance analysis resulted in higher values for percentage of body fat compared to skinfold thickness measurements. We conclude that for assessment of nutritional status body composition should be investigated taking into account body build in addition to age and sex.     

Changes in anthropometrical characteristics during two years in 6 year old children

The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in anthropometrical characteristics during the last year (autumn-spring) in preschool and first year (autumn-spring) in school. Changes in anthropometrical characteristics during summer months were also studied (spring-autumn). The subjects were 130 boys and 122 girls, 6 years of age at the beginning of the investigation. The body height and mass were measured and the BMI (kg/m2) was calculated. In total, eight skinfolds, 10 girths and two bone widths were measured. In boys, the body height and mass were higher than in girls, while the skinfold thicknesses were thicker in girls. There were only very few significant differences between sexes in girth parameters. The width parameters were higher in boys. Our results indicated that there were more significant changes in skinfold thickness, girths and width parameters during winter in preschool in comparison with first year in school in boys, while there were only a very few significant changes during summer months in boys. In contrast, there were more significant changes in school in girls. The Spearman correlations between baseline and after 6, 12 and 18 months of study indicated that the tracking of body height was high in boys and girls. Body mass tracking was high in girls and moderate in boys, while BMI tracking was moderate in both groups. The tracking coefficients of skinfold thicknesses were relatively stable during the two years of study and mostly at the moderate level (r = 0.3-0.6). Tracking coefficients of girths measures were at moderate level, but lower in boys in comparison with girls. It was concluded that social changes and probably changes in the physical activity during transition from preschool to school slightly influenced the measured anthropometrical parameters.     

Body Composition of African American and White Children: A 2‐Year Follow‐Up of the BAROC Study

Objective: To evaluate the 2‐year changes in body composition of white and African American boys and girls. Research Methods and Procedures: A total of 114 boys and girls ages 12 to 14 years with equal sex and ethnic distribution between African American and white races participated in measurements of body composition using DXA, underwater weighing (densitometry), skinfold thickness, corporal diameters, circumferences, isotope dilution (H₂¹⁸O), and bioelectric impedance. Results: Sixty‐eight of the 114 children advanced from Tanner Stages 1 and 2 to Tanner Stages 3 to 5 over a 2‐year period. More than 50% of the children were in the top 15th percentile according to normative data for body mass index but not for triceps skinfold. All measures except for percentage of fat, density, and four of the six skinfolds increased significantly during the 2 years, with no differences between races, genders, or fat group. The boys who advanced in Tanner Stage reduced their percentage of fat and a number of skinfolds and increased their lean body mass, but the girls did not. The percentage of water was significantly higher in the fatter children and declined significantly over 2 years. Most children remained in the same quartile of body fat, lean body mass, and bone mineral content over 2 years. Discussion: The data are consistent with the hypothesis that over 2 years, growth is the major determinant of changing body composition, with body‐fat group and sexual maturation being additional variables.     

Body Fat and Fat‐Free Mass and All‐Cause Mortality

Objective: To investigate whether the association between BMI and all‐cause mortality could be disentangled into opposite effects of body fat and fat‐free mass (FFM). Research Methods and Procedures: All‐cause mortality was studied in the Danish follow‐up study “Diet, Cancer and Health” with 27, 178 men and 29, 875 women 50 to 64 years old recruited from 1993 to 1997. By the end of year 2001, the median follow‐up was 5.8 years, and 1851 had died. Body composition was assessed by bioelectrical impedance. Cox regression models were used to estimate the relationships among body fat mass index (body fat mass divided by height squared), FFM index (FFM divided by height squared), and mortality. All analyses were adjusted for smoking habits. Results: Men and women showed similar associations. J‐shaped associations were found between body fat mass index and mortality adjusted for FFM and smoking. The mortality rate ratios in the upper part of body fat mass were 1.12 per kg/m² (95% confidence interval: 1.07, 1.18) in men and 1.06 per kg/m² (95% confidence interval: 1.02, 1.10) in women. Reversed J‐shaped associations were found between FFM index and mortality with a tendency to level off for high values of FFM. Discussion: Our findings suggest that BMI represents joint but opposite associations of body fat and FFM with mortality. Both high body fat and low FFM are independent predictors of all‐cause mortality.     

A Prospective Study of Adiposity and All‐Cause Mortality: The Malmö Diet and Cancer Study

Objective: This study aims to examine the association between various measures of adiposity and all‐cause mortality in Swedish middle‐aged and older men and women and, additionally, to describe the influences of age and sex on these associations. Research Methods and Procedures: A prospective analysis was performed in a cohort of 10,902 men and 16,814 women ages 45 to 73 years who participated in the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study in Sweden. Baseline examinations took place between 1991 and 1996, and 982 deaths were documented during an average follow‐up of 5.7 years. All‐cause mortality was related to the following variables measured at baseline: body mass index (BMI), percentage of body fat, lean body mass (LBM), and waist‐to‐hip ratio (WHR), with adjustment for age and selected covariates. Body composition data were derived from bioelectrical impedance analysis. Results: The association between percentage of body fat and mortality was modified by age, particularly in women. For instance, fatness was associated with excess mortality in the younger women but with reduced mortality in the older women. Weaker associations were seen for BMI than for percentage of body fat in both sexes. Placement in the top quintiles of waist‐to‐hip ratio, independent of overall body fat, was a stronger predictor of mortality in women than in men. The observed associations could not be explained by bias from early death or antecedent disease. Discussion: The findings reveal sex and age differences for the effects of adiposity and WHR on mortality and indicate the importance of considering direct measures of adiposity, as opposed to BMI, when describing obesity‐related mortality risks.     

Accelerometry‐Measured Activity or Sedentary Time and Overweight in Rural Boys and Girls

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the association between overweight and physical activity or sedentary time measured by accelerometry in rural boys and girls 7 to 19 years old. Research Methods and Procedures: A cross‐sectional study was conducted involving 130 girls and 99 boys in elementary, middle, and high school in rural Maryland. After weight, height, and body composition were measured, children wore an Actiwatch accelerometer for 6 days. Comparisons for activity counts were made between normal and overweight or at risk for overweight (at‐risk/overweight) participants (≥85th percentile of BMI). The associations between body composition and accelerometry‐defined activity levels (sedentary, light, moderate, and vigorous) were analyzed by age group for boys and girls. Results: Differences in total activity in counts per day or counts per minute were not observed between normal and at‐risk/overweight boys or girls in all age groups. No associations between measures of body composition and time spent in an activity level were seen in boys. Fat mass and percentage fat were positively correlated to time spent in sedentary activity (range r = 0.42 to 0.54, all p < 0.01) for girls. In contrast, fat mass and percentage fat were negatively related to time spent in light activity (range, r = ?0.40 to ?0.51, p < 0.05) for girls. Discussion: In girls, but not boys, greater body fat is associated with greater time spent being inactive, and lower levels of body fat are associated with more time spent in light activity. Physical activity interventions targeting inactive children in rural communities are warranted.     

Reference norms for a fat-free mass index and fat mass index in the Japanese child population

The aims of this study were to determine reference norms for a fat-free mass index (FFMI) and fat mass index (FMI) in a large population of healthy children in Japan, to observe differences in these values in three age groups between ages three and eleven, and to develop percentile distributions for these parameters. Five hundred twenty-two boys and six hundred forty-nine girls with a wide spectrum of stature, body mass, and body composition underwent bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) for the determination of fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM). Both FFM and FM were divided by stature(2) to give FFMI and FMI, as described previously. Normal FFMI and FMI were defined within the range of the 25th to 75th percentile of age- and gender-specific data in this study. The reference norms for FFMI (3-11 yrs) were 12.7-13.4 kg/m(2) in boys and 12.0-13.0 kg/m(2) in girls. A modest increase in boys was observed with an age increase; otherwise, there were no marked age differences in FFMI for the children as a whole. The reference norms for FMI were 2.8-3.6 kg/m(2) in boys and 3.2-3.8 kg/m(2) in girls. For each 3-year category (i.e., ages 3-5, 6-8 and 9-11 yrs.), FMI progressively increased by an average of 28.6% in boys and 18.8% in girls, compared to an increase in BMI of 11.0 and 11.3% respectively. FFMI and FMI are appropriate for many purposes, and have the advantage of expressing both aspects of body composition in common units. In conclusion, the data presented as percentiles can serve as reference in comparing a child's body composition to that of healthy children of the same age and gender. The reference standards should be appropriate for almost all children in the Japan for whom stature, body mass, and body composition can be measured satisfactorily. However, a more sophisticated approach is ultimately required for evaluating body composition. This article is a preliminary attempt to promote future research in the area of childhood body composition.     

Physical activity,energy expenditure and intake in 11 to 12 years old Japanese prepubertal obese boys

The purpose of this study is to find out the differences in physical activity (PA), energy expenditure (EE) and energy intake (EI) under free-living conditions between Japanese prepubertal obese and nonobese boys. The subjects were 15 prepubertal obese boys (Age: 11.7+/-0.4 years old, Body fat: 35.2+/-1.6%) who do not have obese parents and siblings and 15 prepubertal nonobese boys (Age: 11.8+/-0.4 years old, Body fat: 18.5+/-0.8%). We assessed their daily PA by heart rate (HR) monitoring, pedometer step counts (PSC) and time for sedentary activities (SA). We also examined calculated EE from HR-VO(2) regression, EI and percentage of macronutrient EI. Results are as follows: Percentage of body fat had significant correlation with weight, BMI, time for SA, percentage EI of protein (positive, p<0.001), VO(2max), VO(2max) per body weight, VO(2max) per LBM, PSC, TEE per body weight, TEI per body weight (negative, p<0.001), percentage of EI of carbohydrate (negative, p<0.01). The values of the obese were significantly lower in total EE per body weight and in total EI per body weight. EI from dinner was significantly higher in the obese group. The values of the obese were significantly higher in percentage EI from protein and that from carbohydrate. The results of this study showed prepubertal obese boys who do not have obese parents and siblings have low PA and spend much time for sedentary activities. Obese boys consume higher percentage energy of protein and lower percentage of carbohydrate though differences in EE and EI were found only in total EE per body weight and total EI per body weight between obese boys and nonobese boys.     

Resistin levels are related to fat mass,but not to body mass index in children

The relationship of resistin levels with obesity remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine resistin levels in prepubertal children and adolescents and evaluate their association with anthropometric parameters and body composition. The study population included 420 randomly selected 6–8-year-old children and 712 children aged 12–16 years. Anthropometric data were measured and body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip and waist-to-height ratios were calculated. Body composition was assessed using an impedance body composition analyzer. Serum resistin levels were determined using a multiplexed bead immunoassay. Resistin levels were not significantly different between sexes. No significant differences in serum resistin concentrations were found between obese, overweight, and normal weight children at any age, and no significant correlations were observed between resistin concentrations and weight or BMI. However, resistin levels showed a significant positive correlation with fat mass in 12–16-year-old children, particularly in girls. In addition to describing serum resistin levels in prepubertal children and adolescents, our study suggests that resistin is related to body fat rather than to BMI in adolescents.     

Body fat, abdominal fat, and body fat distribution is related to left atrial diameter in young children

In adults, the size of the left atria (LA) has important prognostic information. In obese adults, adolescents and children enlargement of LA have been observed. This has not been investigated on a population-based level in young children. We therefore assessed if total body fat mass (TBF), abdominal fat, and body fat distribution were related to LA diameter. Cross-sectional study of 244 children (boys = 137 and girls n = 107) aged 8-11 years, recruited from an urban population-based cohort. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measured total lean body mass, TBF, and abdominal fat mass (AFM). Body fat was also calculated as a percentage of body mass (BF%). Body fat distribution (AFM/TBF) was calculated. Echocardiography was performed with two-dimensional guided M-mode. LA diameter was measured and left ventricular mass (LVM) was calculated. Systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were measured and maturity assessed according to Tanner. There were significant (P < 0.05) univariate correlations for all children between TBF (r = 0.40), BF% (r = 0.32), AFM (r = 0.41), and AFM/TBF (r = 0.41) vs. LA diameter. Multiple regression analyses with the inclusion of possible confounders such as lean body mass, blood pressure, gender, age, and Tanner stage revealed that TBF, AFM, and AFM/TBF were all independently related to LA diameter. Differences in the different body fat measurements explained 6-9% of the variance in LA size. These results demonstrated that both total body fat, AFM, and body fat distribution are already at a young age negatively and independently associated to LA diameter.     

Are there sex differences in the prevalence of overweight and adiposity in elementary school children in Austria

Based on the data of 203 male and 179 female schoolchildren from Eastern Austria (Burgenland), aged between 6 and 10 years, sex typical differences in body composition (absolute and relative body fat, lean body mass) and weight status were analyzed. Body composition analyses were carried out by means of BIA method, weight status was estimated using BMI percentiles (BMI > 90th percentile defined overweight, BMI > 97th percentile defined obesity). Statistically significant sex differences were found for all body composition parameters, girls exhibited a significantly higher amount of absolute and relative body fat, whereas their male counterparts exhibited a significantly higher amount of lean body mass. Regarding weight status, no statistically significant sex differences were observable, however, a higher amount of girls could be classified as overweight or obese. Evolutionary and sociocultural explanations for these observations are discussed.