title: Total and percentage body water in healthy Nigerian children aged 5-15 years.
abstract: Bioelectrical impedance was used to measure total body water in Nigerian children in a clinical setting. Total body water and percentage body water were determined in 454 boys and 450 girls, all healthy Nigerian children aged between 5 and 15 years. The age range and total body water were similar in both sexes but percentage body water was significantly higher in boys than in girls (p = 0.000001). Total body water increased with age in both boys and girls. Percentage body water increased with age but not significantly so in boys (p > 0.076) and decreased significantly with age in the girls (p = 0.008), an indication of differences between the sexes in how the proportion of body fat mass changed with age. These data are very similar to those reported in the literature. The bioelectrical impedance method for body water determination is non-invasive, cheap, portable and well accepted by children. Its more general clinical application in paediatric practice is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Owa
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Adejuyigbe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001834:Body Water; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D012737:Sex Factors