The Tanita SC-240 to Assess Body Composition in Pre-School Children: An Evaluation against the Three Component Model

Abstract

Quick, easy-to-use, and valid body composition measurement options for young children are needed. Therefore, we evaluated the ability of the bioelectrical impedance (BIA) device, Tanita SC-240, to measure fat mass (FM), fat free mass (FFM) and body fatness (BF%) in 40 healthy, Swedish 5.5 years old children against the three component model (3C model). Average BF%, FM, and FFM for BIA were: 19.4% ± 3.9%, 4.1 ± 1.9 kg, and 16.4 ± 2.4 kg and were all significantly different (p < 0.001) from corresponding values for the 3C model (25.1% ± 5.5%, 5.3 ± 2.5 kg, and 15.2 ± 2.0 kg). Bland and Altman plots had wide limits of agreement for all body composition variables. Significant correlations ranging from 0.81 to 0.96 (p < 0.001) were found for BF%, FM, and FFM between BIA and the 3C model. When dividing the children into tertiles for BF%, 60% of children were classified correctly by means of BIA. In conclusion, the Tanita SC-240 underestimated BF% in comparison to the 3C model and had wide limits of agreement. Further work is needed in order to find accurate and easy-to-use methods for assessing body composition in pre-school children.

Keywords: Tanita SC-240; bioelectrical impedance; pre-school; three component model.

Figure 1

Bland and Altman plots comparing (a) body fat percentage (BF%) using BIA and the three component model (3C model) (mean difference: −5.7%, limits of agreement (2SD): 6.6%); (b) fat mass (FM) (kg) using BIA and the 3C model and (mean difference: −1.2 kg, limits of agreement (2SD): 1.8 kg) and (c) fat free mass (FFM) (kg) using BIA and the 3C model (mean difference: 1.2 kg, limits of agreement (2SD): 1.7 kg) in 40 healthy 5.5 years old children. The dotted line is the regression line. Regression lines: (a) y = 2.638 − 0.376x (r = −0.513, p = 0.001); (b) y = 0.109 − 0.280x (r = −0.705, p < 0.001), and (c) y = −1.495 + 0.172x (r = 0.432, p = 0.005).

Figure 1

Bland and Altman plots comparing (a) body fat percentage (BF%) using BIA and the three component model (3C model) (mean difference: −5.7%, limits of agreement (2SD): 6.6%); (b) fat mass (FM) (kg) using BIA and the 3C model and (mean difference: −1.2 kg, limits of agreement (2SD): 1.8 kg) and (c) fat free mass (FFM) (kg) using BIA and the 3C model (mean difference: 1.2 kg, limits of agreement (2SD): 1.7 kg) in 40 healthy 5.5 years old children. The dotted line is the regression line. Regression lines: (a) y = 2.638 − 0.376x (r = −0.513, p = 0.001); (b) y = 0.109 − 0.280x (r = −0.705, p < 0.001), and (c) y = −1.495 + 0.172x (r = 0.432, p = 0.005).