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Body Composition in Children
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Body Composition in Children

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Global and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2021) | Viewed by 39861

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Odysseas Androutsos

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics (CND-Lab), Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Physical Education, Sport Science and Dietetics, University of Thessaly, 42132 Trikala, Greece
Interests: clinical nutrition; pediatric nutrition; obesity; obesity-related diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Antonis Zampelas

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Hellenic Food Authority, 124 Kifisias Av. & 2 Iatridou Str., 11526 Athens, Greece
2. Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
Interests: nutrition; cardiovascular diseases; nutritional epidemiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Body composition plays an important role in children’s health and infuences energy requirements. It is determined by a large number of factors, including genes, age, gender, ethnicity, perinatal factors, energy balance (nutrition, physical activity, sedentary behavior) and health status, while it is assessed by various complex techniques (e.g., four compartment model) or more surrogate methods (anthropometry, bioelectrical impedance analysis, etc.).

Developing new tools, standardizing the assessment methods, and evaluating the validity and applicability of existing or novel methods to assess body composition in wide population groups of children and/or pediatric patients would optimize nutritional assessement and enable the scientific community to overcome important barriers related to its applicability in public health actions and clinical practice.

Furthermore, undestanding the underlying mechanisms linking body composition and health is essential. Studies exploring the pathways through which adiposity induces changes of health indices are needed to tackle the effects of obesity in children’s metabolic profile and in the development of chronic diseases across the lifespan. On the other hand, studies aiming to shed more light on the interplay among undernutrition, nutritional status, prognosis, quality of life, and health indices in pediatric patients, as well as to elucidate how body composition influences the effectiveness of therapies in children, are required to improve health care.

Similarly, clarifying if and how various types of interventions (lifestyle, pharmacological, surgical, enteral/parenteral feeding, etc.) can improve children’s body composition in healthy or ill children is necessary to develop effective strategies to tackle both sides of malnutrition in childhood.

The Special Issue on “Body Composition in Children” aims to host articles that will focus on healthy or ill pediatric populations and will advance current knowledge on the role of body composition on children’s health, explore the determinants of malnutrition across childhood, present new techniques or test the validity of existing tools to assess body composition and provide new insights into how interventions can improve body composition in children and adolescents.

Dr. Odysseas Androutsos
Prof. Dr. Antonis Zampelas
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Body composition
  • Growth
  • Malnutrition
  • Undernutrition
  • Wasting
  • Stunting
  • Underweight
  • Overweight
  • Obesity

Published Papers (16 papers)

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Editorial

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14 pages, 238 KiB  
Editorial
Body Composition in Children: What Does It Tell Us So Far?
by Odysseas Androutsos and Antonis Zampelas
Children 2022, 9(8), 1199; https://doi.org/10.3390/children9081199 - 10 Aug 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1455
Abstract
The Special Issue “Body Composition in Children” of the journal “CHILDREN” aimed to publish both original and review articles focusing on the prevalence and determinants of obesity across childhood, the role of body composition in children’s health, new approaches to assessing body composition, [...] Read more.
The Special Issue “Body Composition in Children” of the journal “CHILDREN” aimed to publish both original and review articles focusing on the prevalence and determinants of obesity across childhood, the role of body composition in children’s health, new approaches to assessing body composition, and interventions aiming to improve body composition in children and adolescents [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Composition in Children)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Other

10 pages, 482 KiB  
Article
Do Children and Adolescents with Overweight or Obesity Adhere to the National Food-Based Dietary Guidelines in Greece?
by Alexandra Georgiou, Odysseas Androutsos, Giorgos Chouliaras and Evangelia Charmandari
Children 2022, 9(2), 256; https://doi.org/10.3390/children9020256 - 15 Feb 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3052
Abstract
Childhood obesity increases the risk for metabolic disorders, but is also related to nutritional deficiencies, such as anemia and hypovitaminosis D. Although children/adolescents with overweight/obesity may have higher energy intake, their diet quality and diversity may be low. The present study aimed to [...] Read more.
Childhood obesity increases the risk for metabolic disorders, but is also related to nutritional deficiencies, such as anemia and hypovitaminosis D. Although children/adolescents with overweight/obesity may have higher energy intake, their diet quality and diversity may be low. The present study aimed to evaluate the consumption of foods against the national food-based dietary guidelines in children and adolescents with overweight or obesity in Greece. Sociodemographic, anthropometric and lifestyle data were collected from a sample of 1467 children 2–18 years old (962 obese, 505 overweight, 51.2% females) in 2014–2017. The results of this study show that the consumption of dairy products, fruit, vegetables, legumes and fish by children/adolescents with overweight or obesity was lower than the national recommendations (ranging from a minimum of 39.5% for fish, to a maximum of 75.5% for cereal/potato/rice). Only the consumption of meat/poultry was found to exceed the national recommendation (estimated coverage of 131.3%). Moreover, a large proportion of participants regularly consumed various unhealthy foods/beverages. The present findings indicate that the majority of children/adolescents with overweight/obesity do not comply with the national food-based dietary guidelines in Greece. The implementation of new strategies to promote healthy diets among children/adolescents with overweight/obesity are urgently required. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Composition in Children)
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14 pages, 1492 KiB  
Article
Positive Associations between Body Mass Index and Hematological Parameters, Including RBCs, WBCs, and Platelet Counts, in Korean Children and Adolescents
by Hwal Rim Jeong, Hae Sang Lee, Young Suk Shim and Jin Soon Hwang
Children 2022, 9(1), 109; https://doi.org/10.3390/children9010109 - 14 Jan 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2844
Abstract
We conducted this study to investigate the associations between hematological parameters and obesity in children and adolescents. The levels of hematological parameters (including white blood cells [WBCs], red blood cells [RBCs], hemoglobin [Hb], hematocrit [Hct], and platelets) of 7997 participants (4259 boys and [...] Read more.
We conducted this study to investigate the associations between hematological parameters and obesity in children and adolescents. The levels of hematological parameters (including white blood cells [WBCs], red blood cells [RBCs], hemoglobin [Hb], hematocrit [Hct], and platelets) of 7997 participants (4259 boys and 3738 girls) aged 10–18 years were recorded. The parameters were compared among participants with normal weight, overweight, and obesity. Significantly higher mean levels of WBCs (7.16 vs. 6.16 × 103/mm3, p < 0.001), RBCs (4.90 vs. 4.82 × 106/mm3, p < 0.001), Hb (14.07 vs. 13.99 g/dL, p < 0.05), Hct (42.31 vs. 41.91%, p < 0.001), and platelets (311.87 vs. 282.66 × 103/mm3, p < 0.001) were found in the obese than normal weight group, respectively, after adjusting for body mass index (BMI) and sex. BMI SDS had significant positive associations with the levels of WBCs (β = 0.275, p < 0.001), RBCs (β = 0.028, p < 0.001), Hb (β = 0.034, p < 0.001), Hct (β = 0.152, p < 0.001), and platelets (β = 8.372, p < 0.001) after adjusting for age, sex, and socioeconomic factors in a multiple linear regression analysis. A higher BMI was associated with elevated WBC, RBC, Hb, Hct, and platelet counts in children and adolescents. Because higher levels of hematological parameters are potential risk factors for obesity-related diseases, hematological parameters should be evaluated in obese children and adolescents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Composition in Children)
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6 pages, 236 KiB  
Communication
Effects of After-School Volleyball Program on Body Composition in Overweight Adolescent Girls
by Nebojša Trajković, Anja Lazić, Drena Trkulja-Petković, Valentin Barišić, Vladan Milić, Siniša Nikolić and Goran Sporiš
Children 2022, 9(1), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/children9010021 - 29 Dec 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1494
Abstract
The current study aimed to investigate the effects of an after-school volleyball program on body composition in overweight adolescent girls. Forty-two girls were randomly divided into a volleyball group (VG) (n = 22 age: 15.6 ± 0.5 years) and control group (CG) [...] Read more.
The current study aimed to investigate the effects of an after-school volleyball program on body composition in overweight adolescent girls. Forty-two girls were randomly divided into a volleyball group (VG) (n = 22 age: 15.6 ± 0.5 years) and control group (CG) (n = 20; age: 15.5 ± 0.7 years). Both groups continued with their usual physical education activities, while VG was included as small-sided games, two times a week, after school, on modified volleyball courts. Body mass, body mass index (BMI), body fat in kg, body fat percentage, and muscle mass were analyzed by a bioelectrical impedance method. There was a significant interaction of group (VG vs. CG) × time (pre-vs. post) for weight [F1, 40 = 7.933; p = 0.004] and BMI [F1, 40 = 5.764; p = 0.015]. Additionally, a significant main effect of time was found for body fat (kg) [F1, 40 = 17.650; p < 0.001] and body fat (%) [F1, 40 = 18.721; p < 0.001]. The results of the current study show that a twelve-week after-school volleyball program, including two sessions a week, can improve body composition in overweight adolescent girls. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Composition in Children)
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12 pages, 1716 KiB  
Article
Using Body Composition Groups to Identify Children and Adolescents at Risk of Dyslipidemia
by Alina Ofenheimer, Robab Breyer-Kohansal, Sylvia Hartl, Otto C. Burghuber, Florian Krach, Frits M. E. Franssen, Emiel F. M. Wouters and Marie-Kathrin Breyer
Children 2021, 8(11), 1047; https://doi.org/10.3390/children8111047 - 13 Nov 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2105
Abstract
The impact of body composition on the early origin of chronic diseases is an increasingly appreciated phenomenon. Little is known about the characteristics of children with varying body composition. The aim of this study was to investigate serum lipid profiles and other characteristics [...] Read more.
The impact of body composition on the early origin of chronic diseases is an increasingly appreciated phenomenon. Little is known about the characteristics of children with varying body composition. The aim of this study was to investigate serum lipid profiles and other characteristics in relation to body composition. The data of 1394 participants (aged 6 to <18 years) of the observational general population-based Austrian LEAD Study have been analyzed. Body composition groups were defined by appendicular lean mass (ALMI) and fat mass (FMI) indices assessed by DXA. Serum lipid profiles (triglycerides, LDL-c, HDL-c) and other characteristics (e.g., prematurity, smoke exposure, physical activity, nutrition) were investigated in these body composition groups. Different body composition groups, which are not distinguishable by BMI, exist. Children with high ALMI and high FMI showed higher triglycerides and LDL-c, but lower HDL-c levels. In contrast, levels did not differ between those with high FMI but low (or normal) ALMI, and other body composition groups. BMI should be interpreted cautiously, and body composition should be measured by more precise techniques. In particular, children and adolescents with high FMI who have concomitantly high ALMI should be followed closely in future studies to investigate whether they are at increased risk of cardiovascular problems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Composition in Children)
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14 pages, 1054 KiB  
Article
Dietary Sugar Intake and Its Association with Obesity in Children and Adolescents
by Emmanuella Magriplis, George Michas, Evgenia Petridi, George P. Chrousos, Eleftheria Roma, Vassiliki Benetou, Nikos Cholopoulos, Renata Micha, Demosthenes Panagiotakos and Antonis Zampelas
Children 2021, 8(8), 676; https://doi.org/10.3390/children8080676 - 03 Aug 2021
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 10039
Abstract
Sugar intake has been associated with increased prevalence of childhood overweight/obesity; however, results remain controversial. The aim of this study was to examine the probability of overweight/obesity with higher sugar intakes, accounting for other dietary intakes. Data from 1165 children and adolescents aged [...] Read more.
Sugar intake has been associated with increased prevalence of childhood overweight/obesity; however, results remain controversial. The aim of this study was to examine the probability of overweight/obesity with higher sugar intakes, accounting for other dietary intakes. Data from 1165 children and adolescents aged ≥2–18 years (66.8% males) enrolled in the Hellenic National Nutrition and Health Survey (HNNHS) were used; specifically, 781 children aged 2–11 years and 384 adolescents 12–18 years. Total and added sugar intake were assessed using two 24 h recalls (24 hR). Foods were categorized into specific food groups to evaluate the main foods contributing to intakes. A significant proportion of children (18.7%) and adolescents (24.5%) exceeded the recommended cut-off of 10% of total energy intake from added sugars. Sweets (29.8%) and processed/refined grains and cereals (19.1%) were the main sources of added sugars in both age groups, while in adolescents, the third main contributor was sugar-sweetened beverages (20.6%). Being overweight or obese was 2.57 (p = 0.002) and 1.77 (p = 0.047) times more likely for intakes ≥10% of total energy from added sugars compared to less <10%, when accounting for food groups and macronutrient intakes, respectively. The predicted probability of becoming obese was also significant with higher total and added-sugar consumption. We conclude that high consumption of added sugars increased the probability for overweight/obesity among youth, irrespectively of other dietary or macronutrient intakes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Composition in Children)
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8 pages, 247 KiB  
Article
Fat Mass Index Associated with Blood Pressure Abnormalities in Children with Chronic Kidney Disease
by Chien-Ning Hsu, Pei-Chen Lu and You-Lin Tain
Children 2021, 8(8), 621; https://doi.org/10.3390/children8080621 - 22 Jul 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1630
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors are present early in life in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD), consequently cardiovascular morbidity presents in early adulthood. However, risk factors of CVD have been rarely addressed in children with early stage of CKD. This study included [...] Read more.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors are present early in life in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD), consequently cardiovascular morbidity presents in early adulthood. However, risk factors of CVD have been rarely addressed in children with early stage of CKD. This study included 63 children and adolescents aged 8- to 18 years-old with CKD stage G1–G4. Cardiovascular assessments consisted of 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), arterial stiffness index, and echocardiography. We also applied dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanning to analyze percentage body fat (PBF), lean body mass index (LBMI), fat mass index (FMI), and the android to gynoid fat ratio (A/G ratio). Up to 63.5% of CKD children had abnormal changes in BP detected by ABPM. CKD children with abnormal ABPM were older, had higher numbers of CKD stage G2 to G4, hyperuricemia, obesity, and higher FMI z-score and A/G ratio compared to individuals with normal ABPM (all p < 0.05). Among these factors, only FMI z-score showed an independent association with abnormal ABPM using multivariate logistic regression analysis (p = 0.037). Our data highlight that body fat plays a key role for an abnormal ABPM in CKD children. The assessment of FMI may have clinical utility in discriminating CV risk in children and adolescents with early stages of CKD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Composition in Children)
10 pages, 833 KiB  
Article
Changes in Body Composition and Anthropomorphic Measurements in Children Participating in Swimming and Non-Swimming Activities
by Grzegorz Bielec, Anna Gozdziejewska and Piotr Makar
Children 2021, 8(7), 529; https://doi.org/10.3390/children8070529 - 22 Jun 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2465
Abstract
Background. Physical activity is a well-known means of obesity prevention, but the relationship between exercise frequency and body composition in children has not been thoroughly investigated. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the body composition of children aged 11–12 who [...] Read more.
Background. Physical activity is a well-known means of obesity prevention, but the relationship between exercise frequency and body composition in children has not been thoroughly investigated. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the body composition of children aged 11–12 who regularly performed swimming and other sports as an organized extra-curricular physical activity for a 12-week period. Methods: The study included 46 students who attended swimming classes and 42 students who participated in training activities in other sports, including, but not limited to, football, basketball and athletics. Body height and body composition were measured using a Tanita BC 418 MA analyzer. The students individually reported their rate of perceived exertion during training using the Pictorial Children’s Effort Rating Table PCERT scale. Results: The weekly volume of training was substantially higher in the group of swimmers than in that playing other sports (12.3 h/week vs. 5.2 h/week, p < 0.01). After 12 weeks of training, body height and weight significantly increased in both groups (p < 0.001). However, the BMI value and adipose tissue content only increased in the group of non-swimmers. Swimmers perceived greater exertion during training than non-swimmers (7.1 vs. 5.8 on the PCERT scale, p < 0.01). Conclusions: In early pubescent children, engaging in vigorous exercise such as swimming for at least 10 h a week may restrain the growth of adipose tissue. However, the variety of exercises that are typical of team sports, if performed for no more than 5 h a week, may be insufficient to restrain adipose tissue growth. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Composition in Children)
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12 pages, 253 KiB  
Article
Can Anthropometry and Body Composition Explain Physical Fitness Levels in School-Aged Children?
by Chih-Yu Hsu, Liang-Sien Chen, I-Jen Chang, Wei-Ching Fang, Sun-Weng Huang, Rong-Ho Lin, Steve Wen-Neng Ueng and Hai-Hua Chuang
Children 2021, 8(6), 460; https://doi.org/10.3390/children8060460 - 31 May 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2554
Abstract
Physical fitness (PF) is closely related to various health outcomes and quality of life among children. However, the associations between anthropometry, body composition (BC), and PF are not fully elucidated. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the associations between demographic metrics (age, sex), [...] Read more.
Physical fitness (PF) is closely related to various health outcomes and quality of life among children. However, the associations between anthropometry, body composition (BC), and PF are not fully elucidated. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the associations between demographic metrics (age, sex), anthropometric measures (body mass index z-score (BMI z-score) waist/height ratio (WHtR)), BC parameters (body-fat percentage (BF%), muscle weight), and PF levels (800-m run, sit-and-reach, 1-min sit-ups, standing long jump) in school-aged children. Continuous variables were dichotomized by median splits. The results of 180 girls and 180 boys (mean age: 10.0 ± 0.7 years; mean BMI z-score: 0.366 ± 1.216) were analyzed. Multivariable linear regressions revealed that BF% (regression coefficient (B) = 3.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.5–4.3) was independently correlated with the 800-m run. Sex (B = 4.6, 95% CI = 3.0–6.3), age (B = 3.1, 95% CI = 1.9–4.3), and BMI z-score (B = −0.7, 95% CI = −1.4–−0.1) were independently related to sit-and-reach. Age (B = 3.3, 95% CI = 2.0–4.7), BF% (B = −0.3, 95% CI = −0.4–−0.2), and muscle weight (B = 0.7, 95% CI = 0.2–1.2) were independently associated with 1-min sit-ups. In addition to demography, anthropometry and BC provided additional information concerning some PF levels in school-aged children. Weight management and PF promotion should be addressed simultaneously in terms of preventive medicine and health promotion for children. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Composition in Children)
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11 pages, 249 KiB  
Article
Oral Diseases and Quality of Life between Obese and Normal Weight Adolescents: A Two-Year Observational Study
by Tengku Nurfarhana Nadirah Tengku H, Wei Ying Peh, Lily Azura Shoaib, Nor Adinar Baharuddin, Rathna Devi Vaithilingam and Roslan Saub
Children 2021, 8(6), 435; https://doi.org/10.3390/children8060435 - 22 May 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2239
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the association between oral disease burden and oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) among overweight/obese (OW/OB) and normal weight (NW) Malaysian adolescents. A total of 397 adolescents were involved in the two-year prospective observational cohort study. OHRQOL [...] Read more.
This study aimed to investigate the association between oral disease burden and oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) among overweight/obese (OW/OB) and normal weight (NW) Malaysian adolescents. A total of 397 adolescents were involved in the two-year prospective observational cohort study. OHRQOL was measured through a self-administered questionnaire containing the short version of the Malaysian Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP[M]). Body mass index (BMI) was used for anthropometric measurement. Whilst, decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index, Significant Caries Index (SiC), simplified basic periodontal examination (S-BPE), and gingival bleeding index (GBI) were used for clinical assessment tools. Higher dental caries prevalence was observed in the NW group while higher SiC was reported in the OW/OB group. Regardless of the obesity status, the prevalence of gingivitis (BPE code 1 and 2) was high in this study. A reduction of GBI prevalence was observed in the two-year follow-up results with an increased prevalence of OHRQoL impact in the OW/OB group compared to the NW group (p > 0.05). The findings from this study suggested that obesity status did not have influence over the burden of oral diseases and OHRQoL. It offers insights referring to the changes in adolescents’ oral diseases burden and OHRQoL. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Composition in Children)
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7 pages, 209 KiB  
Communication
Childhood Obesity in Serbia on the Rise
by Lidija Marković, Višnja Đorđić, Nebojša Trajković, Predrag Božić, Szabolcs Halaši, Dragan Cvejić and Sergej M. Ostojić
Children 2021, 8(5), 409; https://doi.org/10.3390/children8050409 - 18 May 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2740
Abstract
The aim of the study was to examine changes in obesity prevalence among primary school children in Serbia between 2015 and 2019 rounds of the national WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI-Serbia). Cross-sectional studies were conducted in 2015 and 2019. The nationally [...] Read more.
The aim of the study was to examine changes in obesity prevalence among primary school children in Serbia between 2015 and 2019 rounds of the national WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI-Serbia). Cross-sectional studies were conducted in 2015 and 2019. The nationally representative samples of primary school children were measured for body height and weight, following the COSI protocol. Body Mass Index was calculated, and the IOTF and WHO definitions were used to classify children as overweight or obese. Participants were children of both sexes aged 7.00–8.99 years (n = 6105). Significant differences in overweight (obesity included) prevalence between two COSI rounds were identified regardless of definitions applied. According to the WHO definitions, prevalence of overweight and obesity combined increased in 7–9-year-old children in Serbia from 30.7% in 2015 to 34.8% in 2019 (z = −3.309, p < 0.05), and according to the IOTF standards, the increase from 22.8% to 30% was registered (z = −6.08, p = 0.00). The childhood overweight/obesity rate is increasing in Serbia, which places monitoring and surveillance of children’s nutritional status high on the public health agenda. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Composition in Children)
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9 pages, 1005 KiB  
Article
Percentile Reference Values for the Neck Circumference of Mexican Children
by Evelyn Valencia-Sosa, Clío Chávez-Palencia, Juan R. Vallarta-Robledo, Enrique Romero-Velarde, Alfredo Larrosa-Haro, Edgar Manuel Vásquez-Garibay and César Octavio Ramos-García
Children 2021, 8(5), 407; https://doi.org/10.3390/children8050407 - 18 May 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2894
Abstract
Neck circumference was studied for the first time in a pediatric population in 2010. Since then, various countries have proposed cutoff values to identify overweight, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. However, no reference values have been established for the Mexican child population. The aim [...] Read more.
Neck circumference was studied for the first time in a pediatric population in 2010. Since then, various countries have proposed cutoff values to identify overweight, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. However, no reference values have been established for the Mexican child population. The aim of this study is to provide percentile reference values for the neck circumference of Mexican schoolchildren. Only normal-weight schoolchildren aged 6–11 years were included. Percentiles and growth charts were constructed based on the “Generalized Additive Model for Location, Scale and Shape” (GAMLSS). A total of 1059 schoolchildren (52.9% female) was evaluated. Weight, height, and BMI values were higher for males; however, this difference was not statistically significant. The 50th percentile for females was 24.6 cm at six years old and 28.25 cm at 11 years old, and for males, it was 25.75 cm and 28.76 cm, respectively. Both males and females displayed a pronounced increase in neck circumference between 10 and 11 years of age. The greatest variability was found in the 11-year-old group, with an increase of 5.5 cm for males and 5.4 cm for females. This study presents the first reference values for neck circumference for a Mexican child population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Composition in Children)
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12 pages, 282 KiB  
Article
Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity and Body Composition in Children from the Spanish Region of Aragon
by Pilar Ferrer-Santos, Iris Iglesia, Borja Muñiz-Pardos, María Luisa Miguel-Berges, Paloma Flores-Barrantes, Luis A. Moreno and Gerardo Rodríguez-Martínez
Children 2021, 8(5), 341; https://doi.org/10.3390/children8050341 - 26 Apr 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1709
Abstract
Most of the studies analyzing the effect of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on children’s health do not contain information on early stages or do not use accurate methods. We investigated the association between PA and body composition using objective methods, perinatal [...] Read more.
Most of the studies analyzing the effect of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on children’s health do not contain information on early stages or do not use accurate methods. We investigated the association between PA and body composition using objective methods, perinatal data, lifestyle behaviors, and World Health Organization (WHO) physical activity (PA) recommendations. The CALINA study is a longitudinal observational cohort study of children born in Aragon (Spain) in 2009. A total of 308 7-year-old children (52.3% boys) were assessed. We used dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and accelerometry. Rapid weight gain until 12 months and lifestyle behaviors were considered as covariates both in the ANCOVA and linear regression models. A higher percentage of boys met the WHO PA recommendations compared to girls (69.6% vs. 40.9%, respectively; p < 0.001). There was a negative association between MVPA and subtotal fat and abdominal fat in both girls and boys. After adjusting for perinatal and lifestyle variables, we found that subtotal body fat, abdominal fat, and fat mass index (FMI) were significantly lower in those classified as active. MVPA was associated with body fat both in boys and girls. More research is needed to identify the cutoffs points of MVPA that generate benefit to boys and girls in all body composition components. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Composition in Children)
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12 pages, 686 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Bioelectrical Impedance-Based Methods on Body Composition in Young Patients with Obesity
by Alexandra Thajer, Gabriele Skacel, Katharina Truschner, Anselm Jorda, Martin Vasek, Brian Horsak, Johanna Strempfl, Alexandra Kautzky-Willer, Franz Kainberger and Susanne Greber-Platzer
Children 2021, 8(4), 295; https://doi.org/10.3390/children8040295 - 11 Apr 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4307
Abstract
(1) Background: The determination of body composition is an important method to investigate patients with obesity and to evaluate the efficacy of individualized medical interventions. Bioelectrical impedance-based methods are non-invasive and widely applied but need to be validated for their use in young [...] Read more.
(1) Background: The determination of body composition is an important method to investigate patients with obesity and to evaluate the efficacy of individualized medical interventions. Bioelectrical impedance-based methods are non-invasive and widely applied but need to be validated for their use in young patients with obesity. (2) Methods: We compiled data from three independent studies on children and adolescents with obesity, measuring body composition with two bioelectrical impedance-based devices (TANITA and BIACORPUS). For a small patient group, additional data were collected with air displacement plethysmography (BOD POD) and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). (3) Results: Our combined data on 123 patients (age: 6–18 years, body mass index (BMI): 21–59 kg/m²) and the individual studies showed that TANITA and BIACORPUS yield significantly different results on body composition, TANITA overestimating body fat percentage and fat mass relative to BIACORPUS and underestimating fat-free mass (p < 0.001 for all three parameters). A Bland–Altman plot indicated little agreement between methods, which produce clinically relevant differences for all three parameters. We detected gender-specific differences with both methods, with body fat percentage being lower (p < 0.01) and fat-free mass higher (p < 0.001) in males than females. (4) Conclusions: Both bioelectrical impedance-based methods provide significantly different results on body composition in young patients with obesity and thus cannot be used interchangeably, requiring adherence to a specific device for repetitive measurements to ascertain comparability of data. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Composition in Children)
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12 pages, 268 KiB  
Article
Changes in Children’s Body Composition and Posture during Puberty Growth
by Wojciech Rusek, Joanna Baran, Justyna Leszczak, Marzena Adamczyk, Rafał Baran, Aneta Weres, Grzegorz Inglot, Ewelina Czenczek-Lewandowska and Teresa Pop
Children 2021, 8(4), 288; https://doi.org/10.3390/children8040288 - 08 Apr 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2917
Abstract
The main goal of our study was to determine how the age of children, puberty and anthropometric parameters affect the formation of body composition and faulty body posture development in children. The secondary goal was to determine in which body segments abnormalities most [...] Read more.
The main goal of our study was to determine how the age of children, puberty and anthropometric parameters affect the formation of body composition and faulty body posture development in children. The secondary goal was to determine in which body segments abnormalities most often occur and how gender differentiates the occurrence of adverse changes in children’s body posture and body composition during puberty. The study group consisted of 464 schoolchildren aged from 6–16. Body posture was assessed with the Zebris system. The composition of the body mass was tested with Tanita MC 780 MA body mass analyzer and the body height was measured using a portable stadiometer PORTSTAND 210. The participants were further divided due to the age of puberty. Tanner division was adopted. The cut-off age for girls is ≥10 years and for boys it is ≥12 years. The analyses applied descriptive statistics, the Pearson correlation, stepwise regression analysis and the t-test. The accepted level of significance was p < 0.05. The pelvic obliquity was lower in older children (beta = −0.15). We also see that age played a significant role in the difference in the height of the right pelvis (beta = −0.28), and the difference in the height of the right shoulder (beta = 0.23). Regression analysis showed that the content of adipose tissue (FAT%) increased with body mass index (BMI) and decreased with increasing weight, age, and height. Moreover, the FAT% was lower in boys than in girls (beta negative equal to −0.39). It turned out that older children (puberty), had greater asymmetry in the right shoulder blade (p < 0.001) and right shoulder (p = 0.003). On the other hand, younger children (who were still before puberty) had greater anomalies in the left trunk inclination (p = 0.048) as well as in the pelvic obliquity (p = 0.008). Girls in puberty were characterized by greater asymmetry on the right side, including the shoulders (p = 0.001), the scapula (p = 0.001) and the pelvis (p < 0.001). In boys, the problem related only to the asymmetry of the shoulder blades (p < 0.001). Girls were characterized by a greater increase in adipose tissue and boys by muscle tissue. Significant differences also appeared in the body posture of the examined children. Greater asymmetry within scapulas and shoulders were seen in children during puberty. Therefore, a growing child should be closely monitored to protect them from the adverse consequences of poor posture or excessive accumulation of adipose tissue in the body. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Composition in Children)

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13 pages, 7881 KiB  
Systematic Review
The Impact of Nutritional and Lifestyle Changes on Body Weight, Body Composition and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Children and Adolescents during the Pandemic of COVID-19: A Systematic Review
by Kalliopi Karatzi, Kalliopi-Anna Poulia, Emilia Papakonstantinou and Antonis Zampelas
Children 2021, 8(12), 1130; https://doi.org/10.3390/children8121130 - 04 Dec 2021
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 4102
Abstract
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the measures taken by most countries to curb virus transmission, such as social distancing, distance learning, population, home confinement and disruption of all organized activities, has affected children and adolescents worldwide. The aim of this review was to [...] Read more.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the measures taken by most countries to curb virus transmission, such as social distancing, distance learning, population, home confinement and disruption of all organized activities, has affected children and adolescents worldwide. The aim of this review was to assess the role of diet and lifestyle changes due to COVID-19 measures on body weight/composition and cardiometabolic risk factors in children and adolescents. An electronic search was conducted in PUBMED, COCHRANE, Google Scholar and SCOPUS databases up to 31 October 2021. 15 eligible studies were identified. According to the studies included in the analysis, COVID-19 measures seem to have had a negative impact on the diets and lifestyles of children and adolescents, with a consequent increase in body weight and central fat accumulation. On the other hand, the parental presence and control resulted in better glycaemic control in children with diabetes mellitus (DM) Type 1, but the effect of the pandemic in the glycaemic control of children with DM2 2 is controversial. Finally, diet and lifestyle changes had a differential impact on children’s hypertension prevalence. These findings point to the need for public policy measures to prevent obesity and its complications, to and improve diet and lifestyle during the continuing and yet unresolved COVID-19 epidemic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Body Composition in Children)
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