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. 2023 Jul 13;23(1):358.
doi: 10.1186/s12887-023-04134-7.

Cross-sectional study of characteristics of body composition of 24,845 children and adolescents aged 3-17 years in Suzhou

Yan Zhao #  1 , Jin-Xin Gong #  2 , Yi-Ting Ji  2 , Xiao-Yun Zhao  3 , Lu He  2 , Shi-Zhong Cai  4 , Xiang-Ming Yan  5
Affiliations

Cross-sectional study of characteristics of body composition of 24,845 children and adolescents aged 3-17 years in Suzhou

Yan Zhao et al. BMC Pediatr. .

Abstract

Background: We aimed to analyze the characteristics of the body composition of children and adolescents aged 3-17 in Suzhou, China.

Methods: A cross-sectional study between January 2020 and June 2022 using bioelectrical impedance was conducted to determine the fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), skeletal muscle mass, and protein and mineral contents of 24,845 children aged 3-17 who attended the Department of Child and Adolescent Healthcare, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, China. Measurement data was presented in tables as mean ± SD, and groups were compared using the independent samples t-test.

Results: FM and fat-free mass increased with age in both boys and girls. The fat-free mass of girls aged 14-15 decreased after reaching a peak, and that of boys in the same age group was higher than that of the girls (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in FM between boys and girls younger than 9- and 10-years old. The percentage body fat (PBF) and FM index of girls increased rapidly between 11 and 15 years of age (p < 0.05), and those of boys aged 11-14 were significantly lower (p < 0.05), suggesting that the increase in body mass index (BMI) was mainly contributed by muscle mass (MM) in boys.

Conclusions: The body composition of children and adolescents varies according to their age and sex. A misdiagnosis of obesity made on the basis of BMI alone can be avoided if BMI is used in combination with FM index, percentage body fat, and other indexes.

Keywords: Body composition; Child; Fat mass; Fat-free mass.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Figure Changes in indexes of body composition in children aged 3–17 years in Suzhou, China. Comparison of the main body composition indexes among boys and girls at various ages, * indicate the differences are statistical significant, where *: p< 0.05
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Figure Changes in indexes of body composition in children aged 3–17 years in Suzhou, China. Comparison of the main body composition indexes among boys and girls at various ages, * indicate the differences are statistical significant, where *: p < 0.05
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Figure Changes in indexes of body composition in children aged 3–17 years in Suzhou, China. Comparison of the main body composition indexes among boys and girls at various ages, * indicate the differences are statistical significant, where *: p < 0.05
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Figure Changes in indexes of body composition in children aged 3–17 years in Suzhou, China. Comparison of the main body composition indexes among boys and girls at various ages, * indicate the differences are statistical significant, where *: p < 0.05
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Figure Changes in indexes of body composition in children aged 3–17 years in Suzhou, China. Comparison of the main body composition indexes among boys and girls at various ages, * indicate the differences are statistical significant, where *: p < 0.05
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Figure Changes in indexes of body composition in children aged 3–17 years in Suzhou, China. Comparison of the main body composition indexes among boys and girls at various ages, * indicate the differences are statistical significant, where *: p < 0.05
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