Longitudinal sonographic assessment of abdominal fat distribution from 2 to 5 years of age

Abstract

BACKGROUND: To better understand children’s adipose tissue (AT) development and distribution, longitudinal data from direct assessment methods are valuable. Previously, we reported sonographic data on abdominal subcutaneous and preperitoneal fat areas ≤1 year of age. METHODS: Sonographic measurements were annually pursued to assess the development of fat compartments in 2–5 year-old children. The effect of sex and correlations with comprehensive anthropometry (e.g., BMI percentiles, skinfold thickness (SFT) measurements, and waist circumference) are presented. RESULTS: Subcutaneous fat areas increased modestly and were significantly greater in females at each time point investigated. Preperitoneal fat area increased significantly over time (all P values < 0.001) with greater area in females from 3 years onward (e.g., at 3 years estimated mean difference −4.8 mm2; 95% CI: −8.6, −0.9; P = 0.016). The strongest correlations for subcutaneous fat area were consistently observed for SFT measurements. Preperitoneal fat area showed rather weak to moderate correlations, with greater correlation coefficients for SFT measurements compared to waist circumference. CONCLUSION: For the first time, longitudinal ultrasound data on abdominal body fat covering preschool age are presented. Evaluation revealed a differential development of fat compartments, depending on children’s age and sex with SFT measurements as the best predictor for both fat depots.