Carlson, Susan ERogg, Elizabeth2013-09-292013-09-292013-05-312013http://dissertations.umi.com/ku:12665https://hdl.handle.net/1808/12171Background: 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.88 pagesenThis item is protected by copyright and unless otherwise specified the copyright of this thesis/dissertation is held by the author.NutritionBody compositionBody mass indexChildrenObesityThesisopenAccess