Body composition and body mass index in 5-year-old children

Abstract

Background: Body mass index [BMI, weight in kg/(height in cm2)] (BMI) percentile categories are used to measure excess fatness in children; BMI's ability to assess fatness and which maternal characteristics predict adiposity in children is unclear. Objective: Describe body composition in 5-year- old children; examine if BMI and maternal characteristics correlate with adiposity in children. Methods: Fifty children provided BMI, body composition by air displacement plethysmography (ADP) (BodPod ®), and maternal variables. Descriptive and comparative analyses were used. Results: BMI significantly correlated with body composition. There was no difference in % fat between normal weight and overweight/obese children (p=0.48). FM significantly differed for children by gestational weight gain (GWG) (p = 0.04). Maternal BMI positively correlated with FFM (p Conclusion: The use of the BMI percentiles in children appears to have limitations. More research is needed to determine the accuracy of BMI and predictors excess adiposity in children.