Body composition estimation using skinfolds in children with and without health conditions affecting growth and body composition.

BACKGROUND: Body composition prediction equations using skinfolds are useful alternatives to advanced techniques, but their utility across diverse paediatric populations is unknown.

AIM: To evaluate published and new prediction equations across diverse samples of children with health conditions affecting growth and body composition.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Anthropometric and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) body composition measures were obtained in children with Down syndrome (n = 59), Crohn disease (n = 128), steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (n = 67) and a healthy reference group (n = 835). Published body composition equations were evaluated. New equations were developed for ages 3-21 years using the healthy reference sample and validated in other groups and national survey data.

RESULTS: Fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM) and percentage body fat (%BF) from published equations were highly correlated with DXA-derived measures (r = 0.71-0.98), but with poor agreement (mean difference = 2.4 kg, -1.9 kg and 6.3% for FM, FFM and %BF). New equations produced similar correlations (r = 0.85-1.0) with improved agreement for the reference group (0.2 kg, 0.4 kg and 0.0% for FM, FFM and %BF, respectively) and in sub-groups.

CONCLUSIONS: New body composition prediction equations show excellent agreement with DXA and improve body composition estimation in healthy children and those with selected conditions affecting growth.