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Body composition, energy expenditure and physical activity

Associations of age and body mass index with hydration and density of fat-free mass from 4 to 22 years

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 73, pages 1422–1430 (2019)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background

Most body composition techniques assume constant properties of fat free mass (FFM) (hydration and density) regardless of nutritional status, which may lead to biased values.

Aim

To evaluate the interactive associations of age and body mass index (BMI) with hydration and density of FFM.

Methods

Data from subjects aged between 4 and 22 years old from several studies conducted in London, UK were assessed. Hydration (HFFM) and density (DFFM) of FFM obtained from the four-component model in 936 and 905 individuals, respectively, were assessed. BMI was converted in to z-scores, and categorised into five groups using z-score cut-offs (thin, normal weight, overweight, obese, and severely obese). Linear regression models for HFFM and DFFM were developed using age, sex, and BMI group as predictors.

Results

Nearly 30% of the variability in HFFM was explained by models including age and BMI groups, showing increasing HFFM values in heavier BMI groups. On the other hand, ∼40% of variability in DFFM was explained by age, sex, and BMI groups, with DFFM values decreasing in association with higher BMI group.

Conclusion

Nutritional status should be considered when assessing body composition using two-component methods, and reference data for HFFM and DFFM is needed for higher BMI groups to avoid bias. Further research is needed to explain intra-individual variability in FFM properties.

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Funding

A public competitive grant (AEE2018-Biomedicina from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV)) was conceded to DG-M to perform a stay of 3 months in the Childhood Nutrition Research Centre (UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK) between August 2018 and October 2018, to perform the analyses under the supervision of JCKW.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pediatric Nutrition and Human Development Research Unit, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, IISPV, Reus, Spain

    Desirée Gutiérrez-Marín, Veronica Luque & Natàlia Ferré

  2. Childhood Nutrition Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK

    Mary S. Fewtrell, Jane E. Williams & Jonathan C. K. Wells

Authors
  1. Desirée Gutiérrez-Marín
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  2. Veronica Luque
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  3. Natàlia Ferré
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  4. Mary S. Fewtrell
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  6. Jonathan C. K. Wells
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Contributions

DG-M performed analyses and drafted the article; JCKW and VL designed the study; JCKW, VL, MF, JEW and NF supported the analyses and critically reviewed the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Jonathan C. K. Wells.

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Gutiérrez-Marín, D., Luque, V., Ferré, N. et al. Associations of age and body mass index with hydration and density of fat-free mass from 4 to 22 years. Eur J Clin Nutr 73, 1422–1430 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-019-0447-4

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