Work

Accounting for height in indices of body composition during childhood and adolescence

Year: 2019

Type: article

Abstract: Correlations of body composition with height vary by age and sex during childhood. Standard approaches to accounting for height in measures of body composition (dividing by height (in meters) 2 ) do not take this into account. Using measures of total body mass (TBM), fat mass (FM) and fat free mass (FFM) at ages nine, 11, 13, 15 and 18 years from a longitudinal UK cohort study (ALSPAC), we calculated indices of body composition at each age by dividing measures by height (in meters) 2 . We then produced age-and sex-specific powers of height using allometric regressions and calculated body composition indices by dividing measures by height raised to these powers. TBM, FM and FFM divided by height 2 were correlated with height up-to age 11 in females. In males, TBM and FM divided by height 2 were correlated with height up-to age 15 years while FM divided by height 2 was correlated with height up-to age 11 years. Indices of body composition using age-and sex-specific powers were not correlated with height at any age. In early life, age-and sex-specific powers of height, rather than height in meters 2 , should be used to adjust body composition for height when measures of adiposity/mass independent of height are required.

Source: Wellcome Open Research

DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15280.1

Authors: Linda M. O'Keeffe, Abigail Fraser, Laura D. Howe

Institution: University of Bristol

Language: English

Topic: Body Composition Measurement Techniques

Subfield: Physiology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,128