Abstract
Background and aims: There is increasing interest in early life body composition as a predictor of later obesity and metabolic dysfunction. Air displacement plethysmography offers direct measurement of body composition in infants. We wished to examine the reliability of traditional skin fold thickness measurements to estimate body fat composition at 8 weeks of age.
Methods: Infants were recruited antenatally as part of a prospective birth cohort study, the BASELINE study. Body composition was assessed at 8 weeks of life in infants using air displacement body plethesmography (%BFADP/). Skin fold thickness (%BFSFT) was measured a triceps and subscapular regions using a Holtain callipers. Body fat was estimated from these readings using the sex specific equations: Males: %BF = 1.21 × ΣSFT - 0.008 × (ΣSFT)2 - 1.7. Females: %BF = 1.33 × ΣSFT - 0.013 × (ΣSFT)2 - 2.5 (ΣSFT=sum of triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness measurements).
Results: Data were collected from 151 infants; mean (SD) gestation=39.6 (1.5), birth weight = 3480 (503) grams. The mean (SD) body fat = 21.07(4.01%) using %BFADP and 11.49 (2.20)% using %BFSFT. %BFSFT consistently underestimated body fat. The mean (SD) difference between the 2 methods of measurement was 9.58(0.29)%. This mean (SD) difference increased significantly as %BFADP increased [5.5(2.4) lowest quartile %BFADP vs 13.01(2.10) highest quartile %BFADP, p< 0.0005].
Conclusion: We have provided references ranges for infant fat mass at 8 weeks of life. Skin fold thickness calculations underestimate body fat, particularly in infants with the highest body fat %.
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Liu, H., Hourihane, J., Kenny, L. et al. 404 Comparison of Body Fat Estimation Using Skin Fold Thickness Measurement and Simultaneous Air- Displacement Plethysmography at 8 Weeks. Pediatr Res 68 (Suppl 1), 208 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-00404
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-00404
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