Is There a Link between Balance and Body Mass Composition in Children and Adolescents?

School-age children are particularly prone to disturbances in body composition, because this is a period of intensive growth and a period in which correct habits are shaped, especially in relation to diet. This is why it is so important to diagnose emerging disorders early so as to implement therapeutic or educational activities. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the factors of body mass composition and body mass index (BMI), as well as the balance parameters in children and adolescents. The study group consisted of 1137 children aged 7 to 15. There were 559 girls and 578 boys among the subjects. The study used the Tanita 780 body mass composition analyser and the Zebris stabilometric platform. It was found that girls were characterized by a significantly higher content of adipose tissue (24.37% vs. 20.45%), while boys were characterized by a higher content of lean tissue (32.99% vs. 30.43%), muscle tissue (31.23% vs. 28.86%) and water (24.15% vs. 22.28%). Interestingly, the girls had better balance than their peers in all analyzed parameters (COF TTL.-616.72 vs. 661.50; CEArea-73.63 vs. 112.24; COF HD-3.44 vs. 4.23; COF VD-4.52 vs. 5.12). It turned out that among children in adolescence, a higher adipose tissue content and a higher BMI correlated with a smaller surface area (p < 0.05) defined by the center of gravity and smaller deviations of the center of gravity in the horizontal plane (p < 0.05). Sex and adolescence play an important role in differentiating both body composition and body balance. The results of this study allow us to conclude that children with higher BMI values have better balance. Due to the fact that these conclusions are inconsistent with those of other researchers, it will be worth continuing the research (e.g., on a different population group) in order to confirm the results and to draw far-reaching conclusions.

Changes in Children's Body Composition and Posture during Puberty Growth.

The main goal of our study was to determine how the age of children, puberty and anthropometric parameters affect the formation of body composition and faulty body posture development in children. The secondary goal was to determine in which body segments abnormalities most often occur and how gender differentiates the occurrence of adverse changes in children's body posture and body composition during puberty. The study group consisted of 464 schoolchildren aged from 6-16. Body posture was assessed with the Zebris system. The composition of the body mass was tested with Tanita MC 780 MA body mass analyzer and the body height was measured using a portable stadiometer PORTSTAND 210. The participants were further divided due to the age of puberty. Tanner division was adopted. The cut-off age for girls is ≥10 years and for boys it is ≥12 years. The analyses applied descriptive statistics, the Pearson correlation, stepwise regression analysis and the t-test. The accepted level of significance was p < 0.05. The pelvic obliquity was lower in older children (beta = -0.15). We also see that age played a significant role in the difference in the height of the right pelvis (beta = -0.28), and the difference in the height of the right shoulder (beta = 0.23). Regression analysis showed that the content of adipose tissue (FAT%) increased with body mass index (BMI) and decreased with increasing weight, age, and height. Moreover, the FAT% was lower in boys than in girls (beta negative equal to -0.39). It turned out that older children (puberty), had greater asymmetry in the right shoulder blade (p < 0.001) and right shoulder (p = 0.003). On the other hand, younger children (who were still before puberty) had greater anomalies in the left trunk inclination (p = 0.048) as well as in the pelvic obliquity (p = 0.008). Girls in puberty were characterized by greater asymmetry on the right side, including the shoulders (p = 0.001), the scapula (p = 0.001) and the pelvis (p < 0.001). In boys, the problem related only to the asymmetry of the shoulder blades (p < 0.001). Girls were characterized by a greater increase in adipose tissue and boys by muscle tissue. Significant differences also appeared in the body posture of the examined children. Greater asymmetry within scapulas and shoulders were seen in children during puberty. Therefore, a growing child should be closely monitored to protect them from the adverse consequences of poor posture or excessive accumulation of adipose tissue in the body.

Role of body mass category in the development of faulty postures in school-age children from a rural area in south-eastern Poland: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and the incidence of abnormalities in selected parameters measured in the trunk area. DESIGN: Cross-sectional studies. SETTING: The research was conducted in a primary school in the Trzebownisko Municipality, a rural area in south-eastern Poland. PARTICIPANTS: A group of 464 children, ranging in age from 6 to 16 years (234 boys and 230 girls), was recruited to participate in the study. OUTCOME MEASURES: The examination of their body postures was conducted with the use of the Zebris system. Body mass was determined using a body mass analyser Tanita MC-780 MA. BMI was calculated based on the acquired data. RESULTS: It was noticed that the children with overweight and obesity tended to have an incorrect position of the shoulders and pelvis in comparison to children with normal body weight. It was found that greater body mass (higher BMI) coincided with a larger distance of the scapulae from the frontal plane (p=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Increase in children's BMI produces adverse effects in the position of the shoulder blades, reflected by their greater distance from the frontal plane. Increase in BMI is not significantly related to the position of the shoulder joints or pelvis; however, the subjects with overweight or obesity presented a greater difference in the position of the shoulder joints and pelvis.

The Influence of Body Mass Composition on the Postural Characterization of School-Age Children and Adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: In recent years a significant increase in the percentage of children with postural problems has been observed. It is necessary to focus on preventing the phenomenon and on analysis of existing postural defects. AIM: The aim of this work was to assess the potential relationship between body mass composition and body posture in school-age children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 464 school-age children ranging from 6 to 16 years (234 boys and 230 girls) were qualified for the study. Body mass composition was assessed using the analyzer Tanita MC 780 MA. Assessment of body posture was performed using Zebris system. All the results were analyzed with statistical methods. The accepted level of significance was p<0.05. RESULTS: Analyses of the disparities between the girls and the boys showed statistically significant differences in all of the body mass components and in obliquity of the pelvis/shoulder. The boys were characterized by higher contents of muscle tissue (p<0.001), bone tissue (p<0.001), fatless tissue (p<0.001), and body water (p<0.001) as well as a greater obliquity angle (p=0.018). The girls, on the other hand, were found with higher content of fatty tissue (p<0.001). The children with lower content of muscle tissue (p=0.030), fatless tissue (p=0.030), water (p=0.030), and higher content of fatty tissue measured in kg (p=0.027) were characterized by greater pelvic obliquity. CONCLUSION: The current study shows evidence that sex, as a strongly differentiating factor, determines body mass composition and the occurrence of suboptimal postures only in the pelvic area. Body mass composition differentiates body posture of the study group. The content of fatty tissue influences the occurrence of suboptimal postures in the scapula and pelvic area in the frontal plane. The content of muscle tissue is associated with faulty postures in the scapula and pelvic area in the frontal plane.