Bioelectrical impedance, anthropometry and body composition in stunted and non-stunted children

Bioelectrical impedance (BIA) and anthropometric measurements were taken of 129 stunted and 32 non-stunted children aged 9-24 months in Kingston, Jamaica. The reliability of BIA in such young children was examined and the relationships between impedance and anthropometry were determined. The stunted children had significantly lower body mass index (BMI) and smaller triceps skinfolds than the non-stunted children, suggesting differences in body composition between the groups. Resistance was significantly higher in the stunted children than the non-stunted children and nutritional group (stunted or non-stunted) contributed significantly to the variance in resistance after controlling for length, weight, mid-upper arm circumference, triceps and subscapular skinfolds, age and sex. This suggests that there were differences in body composition and/or body shape between the groups beyond that measured by the anthropometric indices used. Total body water (TBW) was estimated using an equation for Jamaican children of comparable age. As a percentage of body weight the TBW estimates were the same for the two groups, a finding which is inconsistent with the anthropometric data.