One-year increment of fat mass and lean body mass of Japanese school children using bioelectrical impedance

Abstract

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and skinfold thickness (SF) (triceps and subscapular) methods were applied to 436 Japanese school children (228 boys and 208 girls) aged from 9 to 11 years with a one-year follow-up to determine changes in body composition. By BIA one-year increment (Δ) of lean body mass (LBM) for boys increased significantly (p<0.01) and Δ LBM was almost equivalent to that for Δ weight (Wt). Δ Wt and Δ fat mass (FM) between the age 10 (from ages 10 to 11) and age 11 (from ages 11 to 12) groups in girls achieved statistical significance (p<0.01 and p<0.001, respectively) and Δ Wt was almost completely comprised of the Δ FM in these age groups. Δ FM in the age 11 group for girls was statistically higher than that in the age 10 group, and this obvious increase of FM in the age 11 group was presumed to be the effect of menses in consideration of the maximum one- year increment of Ht (Δ Ht) in the age 10 group. These results of the assessment of body composition by BIA supported those of previous reports, and therefore BIA can be considered as a useful method to estimate changes in body composition of school children because it is simple and non-invasive and can be performed rapidly.