Total Body Composition in Children

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Description

The study of body composition involves quantifying the primary tissue components of body mass- i.e, the lean body mass (LBM) and fat mass (FM). The human body composition changes as the body develops, matures, and ages. Regardless of the area of interest, some basic information about LBM and FM is usually needed by researchers, practitioners, clinicians, and others in health- and fitness-related professions. This review attempts to provide the requisite information regarding the LBM and FM that constitute total body composition in children and, when data are available, to discuss the effects of age and gender on body composition. The focus will be on the major components of the body - LBM, FM, and percent body fat (%BF) - and on changes observed from infancy to puberty. However, the limited use of densitometry and hydrometry in body composition studies of children may be attributed to the difficulty in accessing appropriate instruments, the cost, and the time required to make such measurements. Major changes in body composition occur during childhood. With growth and maturation, the absolute values of LBM and TBW increase, whereas the relative contribution of water to LBM declines. As a result, this review considers methods used for studying body composition, the applicability of the methods to growing children, and changes in body composition during growth.

Journal

  • 健康科学

    健康科学 25 1-10, 2003-03-25

    Institute of Health Science,Kyushu University

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