Body composition from birth to 6 months in term small-for-gestational-age Indian infants: effect of catch-up growth.

The objective of this prospective observational study was to assess the growth and body composition of term small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants from birth to 6 months and evaluate the effect of catch-up growth (CUG) on body composition. Term SGA newborns were recruited at birth. Anthropometry and body composition were evaluated at 3 days, 6, 10 and 14 weeks, and 6 months. Fat and fat-free mass (FM and FFM) were compared between infants with and without CUG (increase in weight Z-score by > 0·67) by air displacement plethysmography. Factors that could affect body composition and CUG, including parents' BMI and stature, infants' birth weight, sex and feeding, were evaluated. A total of 143 SGA newborns (sixty-six boys) with birth weight of 2336 (sd 214) g were enrolled; 109 were followed up till 6 months. Median weight Z-score increased from -2·3 at birth to -1·3 at 6 months, with 51·9 % of infants showing CUG. Infants with CUG had higher FM (1796 (sd 491) g v. 1196 (sd 474) g, P < 0·001) but similar FFM (4969 (sd 508) g v. 4870 (sd 622) g, P = 0·380), and consequently higher FM percentage (FM%) (26·5 (sd 5·8) v. 19·7 (sd 6·9), P < 0·001), compared with those without CUG. Lower birth weight, exclusive breast-feeding and higher parental stature were positively associated with CUG. In conclusion, CUG in term SGA infants in the first 6 months of life was almost entirely attributable to greater gain in FM. Follow-up of this cohort will provide insight into the long-term effect of disproportionate gain in FM in early infancy in SGA babies.

Association between Urinary Sodium Excretion and Body Fat in School-Aged Children: Insights from the ARIA Study.

Childhood obesity has been associated with increased sodium intake. Nonetheless, evidence linking sodium intake to Body Mass Index (BMI) and Body Fat Mass Percentage (%BF) remains limited, especially in the pediatric age group. Therefore, this study aims to investigate whether there is an association between 24 h urinary sodium excretion with BMI and %BF in a sample group of children from the ARIA study. This cross-sectional analysis included 303 children aged 7 to 12 from across 20 public schools in Porto, Portugal. Weight and %BF were assessed using the Tanita™ BC-418 Segmental Body Analyzer. Children's Total Energy Intake (TEI) was estimated through a single 24 h Recall Questionnaire, and urinary sodium and potassium excretion was estimated by a 24 h urine collection. The association of %BF and BMI with 24 h sodium excretion was estimated by a binary logistic regression adjusted for sex, age, physical activity, total energy intake, parental education, and 24 h urinary excreted potassium. There was a significant positive association between higher levels of urinary sodium excretion and higher %BF values, even after adjusting for confounders. However, the same was not observed for BMI. Our findings suggest that higher sodium intake is associated with higher values of %BF among children, regardless of TEI and potassium intake.

Body mass index is not suitable for assessing body composition in children with spastic cerebral palsy.

PURPOSE: To measure body composition by using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and body mass index (BMI) and to investigate the correlation and agreement between BMI and fat mass percentage in children with spastic Cerebral Palsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: BIA was used to assess fat mass percentage and BMI was determined from body weight and height. BMI and fat mass percentage were both categorized into five categories. The association between fat mass percentage and BMI was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Agreement between BMI and fat mass percentage was investigated with weighted Cohen's kappa coefficient. RESULTS: One hundred and three children with CP across all Gross Motor Function Classification Levels (61% boys, mean age 9 years) were included. Mean BMI was 18.3 kg/m2 and mean fat mass was 24.9%. A large inter-subject variability was found with a weak correlation between BMI and fat mass percentage in children with a BMI < 20 kg/m2. Little agreement (k = 0.299, CI 0.16-0.44) between the categorization of children based on BMI and based on fat mass percentage was found. INTERPRETATION: The large inter-subject variability in fat mass percentage combined with little agreement between the BMI and BIA categories suggests that BMI is not a suitable measure of fat mass in children with CP.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONUsing body mass index (BMI) and instead of fat mass percentage increases the risk of misclassifying body composition in children with spastic Cerebral Palsy.Children with a BMI < 20 kg/m2 are more at risk to be misclassified for body composition.

Influence of the type of electrodes in the assessment of body composition by bioelectrical impedance analysis in the supine position.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The main source of error in body composition assessment of bedridden patients by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is the electrode inadequacy and placement. As electrocardiogram (ECG) electrodes are often used for BIA measurements, this study aimed to compare three of them with a reference BIA electrode. METHODS: BIA was performed sequentially on 24 healthy subjects in the supine position, using 3 different ECG electrodes (3M® Red Dot® 2330; Ambu® BlueSensor 2300; Ambu® BlueSensor SU-00-C) and the reference electrode (Bianostic AT®) for the BIA device (Nutriguard-M®, Data Input, Germany). Resistance (R), reactance (Xc), phase angle (PhA), appendicular skeletal muscle index (ASMI), fat-free mass index (FFMI) and fat mass percentage (FM%) obtained with the different electrodes were compared using Bland-Altman plots, repeated measures one-way ANOVA and paired t-test. Patient characteristics potentially involved in BIA measurement differences were assessed using linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 9 men and 15 women, 33% and 47% of whom were overweight, respectively. The measured R was within the physiological range for all men (428-561 Ω) and women (472-678 Ω), regardless of the type of electrodes used. Compared to the reference electrode, the 3M® Red Dot® 2330 and Ambu® BlueSensor SU-00-C electrodes gave significantly different Xc and PhA values, but only the Ambu® BlueSensor SU-00-C gave significantly different ASMI, FFMI and FM% at 50 kHz, with biases of -0.2 kg/m2, -0.3 kg/m2 and +1.4%, respectively. The higher the current frequency, the lower was the Xc and PhA measured by the Ambu® BlueSensor SU-00-C compared to the reference electrode. These measurement differences seemed mainly due to the too small gel area of the Ambu® BlueSensor SU-00-C (154 mm2) compared to the reference electrode (1311 mm2). CONCLUSIONS: The use of electrodes with small gel area affects BIA measurement in the supine position, especially when PhA is used as an indicator of the nutritional status. Therefore, it is essential to specify the type of electrodes and carry out comparative tests before changing consumables for body composition assessment, to ensure BIA measurement reliability in clinical and research settings.

Gender difference in appendicular muscle strength: determinant of the quality of life in the older Taiwanese.

BACKGROUND: The loss of skeletal muscle mass by aging determines the health status and the quality of life (QoL). OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationships between appendicular muscle strength and the QoL of elderly adults in gender difference. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study, in which 690 subjects who participated in older adults health examination in the health management center of Tri-Service General Hospital from 2018 to 2021. A structured questionnaire was used to collect basic demographic data. The 12-Item Short Form Survey (SF-12) was used to evaluate the QoL of subjects. Their grip strength and gait speed were measured, and Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure muscle mass and other body composition data. Multivariate regression analysis was used to examine the relationships between upper and lower limb muscle strength and the QoL of older adults. RESULTS: In men, legs muscle mass percentage (LegsMM%) (ß = 3.67; 95% CI: 0.64-6.69; p = 0.018) and gait speed (ß = 6.09; 95% CI: 3.88-8.30; p < 0.001) were positively associated with physical component summary (PCS) scores, and gait speed (ß = 4.63; 95% CI: 2.66-6.60; p < 0.001) was also related to an improvement mental component summary (MCS) scores. In women, arms muscle mass percentage (ArmsMM%) (ß = 6.50; 95% CI: 2.34-10.66; p = 0.002) and grip strength (ß = 10.54; 95% CI: 6.27-14.81; p < 0.001) had the greatest effect on improving PCS scores, whereas grip strength (ß = 7.58; 95% CI 4.00-11.17; p < 0.001) was also found to help improve MCS scores. CONCLUSIONS: Men should focus on lower limb training, whereas females should focus on upper limb training to effectively improve their QoL. Appropriate exercise interventions should be designed for different genders for the promotion of the healthy aging policy.

The Relationship between Fat Mass Percentage and Glucose Metabolism in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

To assess the relationship between fat mass percentage (FMP) and glucose metabolism in children aged 0−18 years we performed a systematic review of the literature on Medline/PubMed, SinoMed, Embase and Cochrane Library using the PRISMA 2020 guidelines up to 12 October 2021 for observational studies that assessed the relationship of FMP and glucose metabolism. Twenty studies with 18,576 individuals were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that FMP was significantly associated with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (r = 0.08, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.04−0.13, p < 0.001), fasting plasma insulin (INS) (r = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.37−0.57, p < 0.001), and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA)- insulin resistance (IR) (r = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.33−0.53, p < 0.001). The subgroup analysis according to country or overweight and obesity indicated that these associations remained significant between FMP and INS or HOMA-IR. Our results demonstrated that there is a positive relationship between FMP and FPG. Moreover, subgroup analysis according to country or overweight and obesity indicated that FMP is significantly associated with INS and HOMA-IR. This is the first known systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the associations of FMP with glucose metabolism in children and adolescents.

Distinct causal effects of body fat distribution on cardiometabolic traits among children: Findings from the BCAMS study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Observational studies reveal that different body fat measures are associated with cardiometabolic disease with different effects. However, causality is not reflected by such observations. To explore and compare the causal relationships of general obesity (measured by body mass index (BMI)), adipose obesity (measured by fat mass percentage (FMP)) and central obesity (measured by waist-to-height ratio (WHtR)) with cardiometabolic traits among children. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted one sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis in 3266 children from Beijing Children and Adolescents Metabolic Syndrome Study. Genetic instruments based on 28 SNPs were performed to explore and compare the causal associations of genetically BMI, FMP and WHtR with cardiometabolic traits. The genetic instruments were robustly correlated with observed BMI, FMP and WHtR. Each genetically 1-SD increment in BMI, FMP and WHtR were causally associated with increment in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), log-transformed fasting plasma glucose (FPG), log-transformed HOMA-ß, and decrease in log-transformed high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), respectively (all P < 0.05 after Bonferroni correction). The receiver operating characteristic curve indicated that BMI and FMP showed stronger effects on SBP, DBP, HOMA-ß and HDL than WHtR (all P < 0.05). We also observed causal associations of BMI and FMP with log-transformed fasting insulin and HOMA-IR. CONCLUSIONS: The MR analysis based on population-based cohort indicated a causal relationship of adiposity and body fat distribution with cardiometabolic traits. When compared with central obesity, general obesity and adipose obesity might own stronger effects on blood pressure and blood lipids among children.

Association between body composition and blood pressure in normal-weight Chinese children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the associations of body fat distribution and lean body mass (LBM) with blood pressure (BP) in normal-weight Chinese children and adolescents. METHODS: A total of 898 normal-weight Chinese children and adolescents, aged 10-18 years, were included this cross-sectional study via a cluster sampling method. The bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was used to measure body composition. The participants were measured for blood pressure (BP) using a calibrated electronic sphygmomanometer according to the standard method by the "American Hypertension Education Project Working Group". RESULTS: Body composition was related to abnormal BP in normal-weight children and adolescents. After the model adjusted for age, smoking, and drinking, regression analysis showed that fat mass percentage (FMP) was negatively associated with abnormal BP, while LBM was positively associated with abnormal BP in boys(P < 0.05). Whereas FMP and visceral fat level (VFL) were positively associated with abnormal BP in girls (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There are sex differences in the relationships between total body fat, visceral fat and lean body mass with abnormal BP in normal-weight youths. Therefore, it is of great significance to pay attention to the relative influence of the body composition of the boys and girls in the prevention and treatment of hypertension in youths.

Association between 30-s Chair Stand-Up Test and Anthropometric Values, Vibration Perception Threshold, FHSQ, and 15-D in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic, worldwide disease affecting more than 400 million people. This pathology involves several associated problems, such as diabetic neuropathy complications, obesity, and foot problems, both in terms of health and sensitivity. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to explore the relationships of the 30-s chair stand-up test with the Foot Health Status Questionnaire (FHSQ), the vibration perception threshold (VPT), and the 15-dimensional (15-D) questionnaire in T2DM people. METHODOLOGY: Ninety participants with T2DM were assessed in terms of fat mass percentage, VPT, foot health, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and the 30-s chair stand-up test. RESULTS: The 30-s chair stand-up test was found to exhibit a moderate relationship with "physical activity" (rho = 0.441; p ≤ 0.001) and "vigor" (rho = 0.443; p ≤ 0.001) from FHSQ. The 30-s chair stand-up test was also found to be weakly associated with foot pain (rho = 0.358; p = 0.001), 15-D total score (rho = 0.376; p ≤ 0.001), "sleeping" (rho = 0.371; p < 0.001), and "depression" (rho = 0.352; p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The 30-s chair stand-up test is associated with "physical activity", "vigor", and "foot pain" from the FHSQ and the 15-D questionnaire total score and its dimensions "sleeping" and "depression" in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Therefore, following the results obtained, qualified clinicians can use the 30-s chair stand-up test as a good tool for monitoring and managing type 2 diabetes.

Methods to Assess Fat Mass in Infants and Young Children: A Comparative Study Using Skinfold Thickness and Air-Displacement Plethysmography.

BACKGROUND: Traditionally, fat mass is estimated using anthropometric models. Air-displacement plethysmography (ADP) is a relatively new technique for determining fat mass. There is limited information on the agreement between these methods in infants and young children. Therefore we aimed to longitudinally compare fat mass percentage values predicted from skinfold thicknesses (SFTs) and ADP in healthy infants and young children. METHODS: Anthropometry and body composition were determined at the ages of 1, 4, and 6 months and 2 years. We quantified the agreement between the two methods using the Bland-Altman procedure, linear mixed-model analysis, and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC). RESULTS: During the first 6 months of life, fat mass% predicted with SFT was significantly different from that measured with ADP in healthy, term-born infants (n = 245). ICCs ranged from 0.33 (at 2 years of age) and 0.47 (at 4 months of age). Although the mean difference (bias) between the methods was low, the Bland-Altman plots showed proportional differences at all ages with wide limits of agreement. CONCLUSIONS: There is poor agreement between ADP and SFTs for estimating fat mass in infancy or early childhood. The amount of body fat was found to influence the agreement between the methods.

The Body Composition in Early Pregnancy is Associated with the Risk of Development of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Late During the Second Trimester.

OBJECTIVE: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) causes both short- and long-term harm to mothers and fetuses. It is important to predict the occurrence of GDM as early as possible and take adequate measures to prevent it. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between body composition of pregnant women in early pregnancy and the risk of GDM. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 1318 pregnant women in the early stage of pregnancy were recruited from the Guiyang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital. Detailed clinical data were recorded. Body composition was determined using the bioimpedance method at 13 weeks of gestation. The association between BMI before pregnancy (pre-BMI), fat mass percentage (FMP) and skeletal muscle mass percentage (SMMP) and the results of glucose tolerance screening in the second trimester of pregnancy were analyzed. Fat mass index (FMI) was calculated using fat mass in kilograms as measured using BIA at 13 weeks of pregnancy divided by the square of the woman's height in meters (kg/m2) and was analyzed to determine the predictive effect of body fat on GDM. RESULTS: Of the 1318 participants, 249 were diagnosed with GDM and 1069 with normal blood glucose. The FMI and FMP in GDM were higher than in NGT (P<0.001), while the SMMP in GDM was lower than in NGT (P<0.001). Overweight women (pre-BMI≥24kg/m2) had a higher risk of developing GDM than women with normal pre-BMI (adjusted OR 2.604, 95% CI 1.846-3.673). Women with FMP greater than 28% had a higher risk of developing to GDM than women with normal-range FMP (adjusted OR 1.572, 95% CI 1.104-2.240). When FMI is used to predict the incidence of GDM, the area under the curve (AUC) is 65.8%, which is comparable to BMI (AUC=67.2%). CONCLUSION: Body composition early during gestation is associated with the risk of GDM. The fat mass index in early pregnancy is a predictor of GDM, and it could be an indicator of the efficacy of any intervention to reduce the risk of GDM.

Sex and Region-Specific Associations of Bone Mineral Content, Muscle Mass, and Fat Mass with Insulin Resistance.

Background: To compare the strengths of the associations between total and region-specific body composition and insulin resistance (IR) considering sex and menopausal status and to compare body composition indicators for discriminating high IR. Materials and Methods: Among 5380 men, 3652 premenopausal women, and 3207 postmenopausal women in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, high IR was defined as the sex-specific highest quintiles of homeostasis model assessment IR and metabolic syndrome. Percentages of bone mineral content (BMC%), muscle mass (MM%), and fat mass (FM%) were measured for the whole body, trunk, and upper/lower extremities by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results: After adjusting for body mass, age, education, smoking status, alcohol use, and physical activity, one-standard deviation increases in whole-body FM%, MM%, and BMC% were associated with 50%-63%, 19%-26%, and 14%-22% higher odds of high IR in men and pre- and postmenopausal women, 31%-36%, 12%-17%, and 10%-15% lower odds, and 27%-36%, 31%-40%, and 19%-23% lower odds, respectively. Those associations for FM% in men and BMC% in premenopausal women tended to be stronger in the upper body than in lower extremities. In receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, FM% in men and BMC% in women had superior discriminatory abilities for high IR. Conclusions: IR may have a stronger association with FM% in men and BMC% in premenopausal women in upper body, while the association strength in postmenopausal women may be similar across body composition. These findings reveal differences in the strengths of region-, sex, and menopausal status-specific relationships between body composition and IR.

Interindividual variability and individual responses to exercise training in adolescents with obesity.

This study investigated the impact of exercise training on interindividual variability and response rates in body composition and cardiometabolic outcomes in adolescents with obesity. Postpubertal males and females (n = 143) were randomly assigned to 6 months of a diet-only control or aerobic, resistance, or combined exercise training. Body composition indices were percentages of body fat mass and lean body mass and waist circumference. Biomarkers of cardiometabolic health were systolic blood pressure and plasma fasting glucose, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Interindividual variability was examined by comparing the standard deviation of individual responses (SDIR) to a smallest robust change (SRC). The typical error of measurement was used to classify responses. SDIR exceeded the SRC for percent body fat mass in all exercise groups (SRC = 1.04%; aerobic SDIR = 1.50%; resistance SDIR = 1.22%; combined SDIR = 2.29%), percent lean body mass (SRC = 1.38%; SDIR = 3.2%,), systolic blood pressure (SRC = 2.06 mm Hg; SDIR = 4.92 mm Hg) in the resistance group, and waist circumference (SRC = 2.33 cm; SDIR = 4.09 cm), and fasting glucose (SRC = 0.08 mmol/L; SDIR = 0.28 mmol/L) in the combined group. However, half of the reported variables (11/21) did not have a positive SDIR. Importantly, adverse response rates were significantly lower in all 3 exercise groups compared with control for body composition. Although exercise had a small influence on interindividual variability for indices of body composition, the rate of adverse responses did not increase for any outcome. Novelty Interindividual variability and individual responses to exercise training have not been investigated in adolescents with obesity. Six months of exercise training does not increase interindividual variability in adolescents with obesity. Exercise created a positive, uniform shift in responses.

The Effects of Short-Term High-Intensity Interval Training and Moderate Intensity Continuous Training on Body Fat Percentage, Abdominal Circumference, BMI and VO2max in Overweight Subjects.

We aimed to compare the effects of a personalized short-term high-intensity interval training (HIIT) vs. standard moderate intensity continuous training (MICT) on body fat percentage, abdominal circumference, BMI and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) in overweight volunteers. Twenty overweight sedentary volunteers (24.9 ± 2.9y; BMI: 26.1 ± 1 kgm-2) were randomly assigned to 2 groups, HIIT or MICT. HIIT trained 6 weeks (3-days/week), 40-min sessions as follows: 6-min warm-up, 20-min resistance training (RT) at 70% 1-RM, 8-min HIIT up to 90% of the predicted Maximal Heart Rate (HRmax), 6-min cool-down. MICT trained 6 weeks (3-days/week) 60-min sessions as follows: 6-min warm-up, 20-min RT at 70% 1-RM, 30-min MICT at 60-70% of the predicted HRmax, 4-min cool-down. Two-way ANOVA was performed in order to compare the efficacy of HIIT and MICT protocols, and no significant interaction between training x time was evidenced (p > 0.05), indicating similar effects of both protocols on all parameters analyzed. Interestingly, the comparison of Δ mean percentage revealed an improvement in VO2max (p = 0.05) together with a positive trend in the reduction of fat mass percentage (p = 0.06) in HIIT compared to MICT protocol. In conclusion, 6 weeks of personalized HIIT, with reduced training time (40 vs. 60 min)/session and volume of training/week, improved VO2max and reduced fat mass percentage more effectively compared to MICT. These positive results encourage us to test this training in a larger population.

Efficacy of the curves training program for loosing body weight, body circumferences and fat mass percentage: a non randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE: Hypokinesia is the fourth cause of endemic death in the world. The prevalence of obesity, caused by hypokinesia, in the world continues to increase and it is the main risk factor of chronic diseases. Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of curves program and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) in healthy women. METHODS: The study design is a non-randomized clinical trial. Eighty women with age between 30 to 40 years (who train 3/4 times a week) participated over a period of six months. They were allocated into a "Curves" program group (n = 40) and a "High-Intensity Interval Training" group (n = 40). BMI, body fat, the fat mass percentage was calculated by OMRON body fat 306 TM at baseline and the end of the intervention. RESULTS: the results between high-intensity interval training and curves show that curves scores were significantly lower among Interval training. after 6 months the most impact was on "Abdomen loss "in Curves Group Mean(SD) = -4.48(1.70). According to the multivariate analysis, we can say that for all the dependent variables Weight loss -0.320 (<0.001), Trunk loss -0.376 (<0.001), Abdomen loss -0.276 (<0.001), Hip loss -0.302 (<0.001), Lower arm loss -0.248 (0.003) and Fat mass loss -0.153 (0.061) the curves group shows significant results in comparison with the high-intensity interval training group (p <0.001) while the civil status is significantly associated with only "Upper arm loss" variable (ß = -0.357; p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This "Curves" program improved strength muscles, loss of fat and fat mass reduction more than High Intensity Interval Training.

The effect of maternal HIV status and treatment duration on body composition of HIV-exposed and HIV-unexposed preterm, very and extremely low-birthweight infants.

BACKGROUND: There is an evidence gap regarding the relationship between HIV exposure, body composition (and the quality thereof) and preterm infants. AIM: This study determined the body composition of HIV-exposed, preterm very low-birthweight (VLBW) and extremely low-birthweight (ELBW) infants and to assess the effect of maternal HAART duration on the body composition of this vulnerable population. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. HIV-exposed and -unexposed preterm infants (<37 weeks) with a birthweight of ≤1200g were included. Maternal medical background was recorded. Infant body composition measurements were recorded weekly during the 28-day follow-up period. RESULTS: Thirty preterm infants (27%) were HIV-exposed. HIV-exposed infants had significantly (=0.01) lower gestational ages than HIV-unexposed infants (25-28 weeks). HIV-exposed infants had significantly lower measurements on day 21 and day 28 for triceps skinfold (TSF) (2.5 mm vs 2.7 mm, = 0.02 and 2.6 mm vs 2.9 mm, <0.01), subscapular skinfold (SSSF) (2.3 mm vs 2.6 mm, = 0.02 and 2.4 mm vs 2.7 mm, =<0.01) and fat mass percentage (FM%) (0.9% vs 1.4%, = 0.02 and 1.0% vs 1.5%, = 0.03). HIV-exposed infants whose mothers received HAART for ≥ 20 weeks were heavier and had a higher FM% and lower fat-free mass percentage (FFM%) at birth than HIV-exposed preterm infants whose mothers received highly active antiretroviral therapy for ≥ 4- < 20 weeks. CONCLUSION: Mothers receiving HAART could have increased risk of preterm delivery, and the duration of maternal HAART affects postnatal body composition of their infants. Body composition differs between HIV-exposed and HIV-unexposed preterm infants.

Futsal improve body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness in overweight and obese children. A pilot study

The aim of this study was to verify body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, and biochemical markers of prepubertal overweight and obese boys to a 16-week futsal training program. Methods: Sixteen boys (age: 7-10 y, body mass index>thanat 95th percentileaccording to Center for Disease Control and Prevention; 35.5±7.4 percent fat) participated to futsal training program. The assessment of body composition was estimated using skinfold thickness, and the following variables were evaluated: total body mass, body mass index, body fat percentage, and lean body mass. Aerobic fitness measurementwas performed by gas exchange analysis in treadmill. In addition, an evaluation of the biochemical profile was conducted: triglycerides, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, plasma concentrations of glucose, and insulin. The futsal intervention included 60-min sessions performed two times/week. The mean intensity during training was between 57 to 88% of maximal heart rate of the age-predicted. Individual portable heart rate monitor controlled training intensity. Results: Significant increases in total body mass (4%), height (3%), lean body mass (8%), and significant 6%-decrease in body fat percentage was observed. Body mass index remained unchanged. Maximal oxygen uptake was elevated (p<0.018) by 11%. Biochemical markers were not modified after intervention. No association was found between body composition and metabolic variables. The effect size of futsal training on most variables was small (<0.5). Conclusion: Controlled intensity and adherence to this 16-week futsal training program were determinant to enhance body composition, and cardiorespiratory fitness in this group of prepubertal boys.(AU)

Comparación de la composición corporal de mujeres jóvenes obtenida por hidrodensitometría y tres técnicas de bioimpedancia / Comparison of three bioimpedance techniques with hydrodensitometry for assessment of body composition in young adult women / Comparação da composição corporal de mulheres jovens obtida por hidrodensitometria e três técnicas de bioimpedância

RESUMEN Antecedentes: existe controversia sobre la exactitud de las técnicas de bioimpedancia para calcular el porcentaje de grasa corporal (%GC). Objetivo: comparar el %GC obtenido por tres técnicas de bioimpedancia con la hidrodensitometría como método de referencia. Metodología: en 31 mujeres se midió el %GC por hidrodensitometría con medición simultánea del volumen residual pulmonar, y por las técnicas de bioimpedancia manos-pies (8-electrodos), mano-pie (4-electrodos) y pie-pie (4-electrodos). Resultados: el promedio de edad fue 22,4 ± 2,8 años y el del índice de masa corporal 23,6 ± 3,3 kg/m2 . No hubo diferencias (p > 0,05) en el %GC obtenido por hidrodensitometría y por la técnica manos-pies (31,4 ± 6,6 % y 31,9 ± 5,9 %, respectivamente). Las técnicas mano-pie y pie-pie presentaron diferencias (p < 0,05) en el %GC con la hidrodensitometría de +1,4 % y -4,9 %, respectivamente. El grado de acuerdo con el método de referencia fue aceptable para las técnicas manos-pies (Bland-Altman: IC95 %: -6,6; 5,6) y mano-pie (Bland-Altman: IC95 %: -8,0; 5,2), pero inadecuado para la técnica pie-pie (Bland-Altman: IC95 %: -4,7; 14,4). Conclusiones: en mujeres jóvenes con peso corporal promedio adecuado, la técnica de bioimpedancia manos-pies determina valores del %GC más cercanos a los de la hidrodensitometría que las técnicas mano-pie y pie-pie. Asimismo, la técnica manos-pies presenta una concordancia ligeramente mayor con el método de referencia que las técnicas mano-pie y pie-pie.

SUMMARY Background: Bioimpedance measurement allows quick and safe estimation of the body composition. However, it remains controversial which bioimpedance measurement technique is more exact for calculating the fat mass percentage (%FM). Objective: To compare the %FM obtained with three bioimpedance techniques with hydrodensitometry, as a reference method. Materials and methods: In 31 women, the %FM was assessed by hydrodensitometry with simultaneous lung residual volume measurement and three bioimpedance techniques: hands-to-feet (8-electrodes), hand-to-foot (4-electrodes) and footto-foot (4-electrodes). Results: Average age and body mass index were 22.4 ± 2.8 years and 23.6 ± 3.3 kg/m2 , respectively. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) between the %FM obtained by hydrodensitometry (31.4 ± 6.6) and hands-to-feet technique (31.9 ± 5.9). However, hand-to-foot and foot-to-foot techniques showed differences (p < 0.05) with the reference method of +1.4 % and -4.9%, respectively. There was a fair agreement between hydrodensitometry and the results obtained with hands-to-feet (Bland-Altman: IC95 %: -6.6; 5.6) and hand-to-foot (Bland-Altman: IC95 %: -8.0; 5.2) techniques. The foot-to-foot measurement showed poor agreement with the reference method (Bland-Altman: IC95 %: -4.7; 14.4). Conclusions: In this group of young women with healthy body weight, the hands-to-feet bioimpedance technique generates body composition values closer to the hydrodensitometry results as compared with the hand-to-foot and foot-to-foot techniques. Additionally, the hands-to-feet technique shows a slightly better agreement with hydrodensitometry than the hand-to-foot and foot-to-foot techniques.

RESUMO Antecedentes: existe controvérsia sobre a exatidão das técnicas de bioimpedância para calcular a porcentagem de gordura corporal (%GC). Objetivo: comparar a %GC obtida por três técnicas de bioimpedância com a hidrodensitometria ou pesagem hidrostática como método de referência. Metodologia: em 31 mulheres se mediu a %GC por hidrodensitometria com medição simultânea do volume residual pulmonar, e pelas técnicas de bioimpedância mãos-pés (8-eletrodos), mão-pé (4-eletrodos) e pé-pé (4-eletrodos). Resultados: A média de idade foi 22,4 ± 2,8 anos e o do índice de massa corporal. 23,6 ± 3,3 kg/m2 . Não houve diferenças (p > 0,05) na %GC obtido por hidrodensitometria e pela técnica mãos-pés (31,4 ± 6,6 % e 31,9 ± 5,9 %, respectivamente). As técnicas mão-pé e pé-pé apresentaram diferenças (p < 0,05) na %GC com a hidrodensitometria de +1,4 % e -4,9 %, respectivamente. O grau de acordo com o método de referência foi aceitável para as técnicas mãos-pés (Bland-Altman: IC95 %: -6,6; 5,6) e mão-pé (BlandAltman: IC95 %: -8,0; 5,2), mas inadequado para a técnica pé-pé (Bland-Altman: IC95 %: -4,7;14,4). Conclusões: em mulheres jovens com peso corporal médio adequado, a técnica de bioimpedância mãospés determina valores da %GC mais próximos aos da hidrodensitometria que as técnicas mão-pé e pé- pé. Além disso, a técnica mãos-pés apresenta uma concordância ligeiramente maior com o método de referência que as técnicas mão-pé e pé-pé.

Longitudinal fat mass and visceral fat during the first 6 months after birth in healthy infants: support for a critical window for adiposity in early life.

INTRODUCTION: Body composition in early life influences the development of obesity during childhood and beyond. It is, therefore, important to adequately determine longitudinal body composition during the first months of life. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In 203 healthy term infants, we investigated longitudinal body composition, including fat mass percentage (FM%) and fat-free mass (FFM), by air-displacement plethysmography, at 1, 3 and 6 months of age and abdominal visceral fat and abdominal subcutaneous fat, by ultrasound, at 3 and 6 months. RESULTS: We found a significant increase in FM% between 1 and 3 months but not between 3 and 6 months (p < 0.001, p = 0.098, respectively). Girls had higher FM% than boys at 1 and 6 months (p = 0.05, p < 0.001 respectively) and less FFM than boys at 1, 3 and 6 months (p = 0.02, p = 0.02, p < 0.001, respectively). There was a large variation in FM% at all ages even between infants with similar weight standard deviation scores. Visceral fat and abdominal subcutaneous fat did not change between 3 and 6 months. FM% was highly correlated with abdominal subcutaneous fat but not with visceral fat. CONCLUSION: Changes in FM% occur mainly in the first 3 months of life, and FM%, visceral and abdominal subcutaneous fat do not change between 3 and 6 months, supporting the concept of a critical window for adiposity development in the first three months of life. In addition, our study provides longitudinal reference data of FM%, FFM, visceral fat and abdominal subcutaneous fat during the first 6 months of life.

Specific bioelectrical impedance vector reference values for assessing body composition in the Italian elderly.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain specific bioelectrical impedance vector reference values for the healthy elderly Italian population, and to study age- and sex-related differences in body composition. DESIGN: The study group consisted of 560 healthy individuals (265 men and 295 women) aged 65 to 100 y, whose anthropometric (height, weight, and calf, arm and waist circumferences) and bioelectrical measurements (resistance [R] and reactance [Xc], at 50 kHz and 800 µA) were recorded. R (Ω) and Xc (Ω) values were standardized for stature (H, m) to obtain the classic bioelectrical values. Specific values (resistivity [Rsp] and reactivity [Xcsp], Ω·cm) were obtained by multiplying R and Xc by a correction factor (A/L) that includes an estimate of the cross-sectional area of the body (A=0.45 arm area+0.10 waist area+0.45 calf area), where L=1.1H. RESULTS: Descriptive statistics were: Rsp (391.8±57.9), Xcsp (42.6±9.9), Zsp (394.2±58.2), phase angle (6.2°±1.2) in men; Rsp (462.0±80.1), Xcsp (47.9±11.2), Zsp (464.6±80.5), phase angle (5.9°±1.0) in women. The Xcsp and phase angle values showed a significant age-related decrease in both sexes, but especially in men, possibly relating to a gradual loss of muscle mass. Women's Rsp and Zsp values tended to drop, attributable to their declining proportion of fat mass. A declining sexual dimorphism was also apparent. CONCLUSIONS: Specific tolerance ellipses can be used for reference purposes for the Italian population when assessing body composition in gerontological practice and for epidemiological purposes.