Anthropometry and body composition in children.
Changes in body fat, fat-free mass and extracellular water occur in many disorders, and during normal growth in children. Thus, body composition is an increasingly important measurement in paediatric clinical practice, and is used for diagnostic purposes, for decisions for treatment and for monitoring improvement. A number of different methods exist for determining body composition in children; however, their use is complicated by the absence of a gold standard and the lack of validity data in children both with and without growth disorders. In this report, validity and usefulness are compared among anthropometric methods and weighted against other techniques used in children. Recent recommendations of a number of expert committees are discussed.
Van den Broeck
J
J
Bureau of the Dutch Growth Foundation, Sophia Kinderziekenhuis, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Wit
J M
JM
D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D001823:Body Composition; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D014944:World Health Organization