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Title: VALIDATION OF A NEW PEDIATRIC AIR-DISPLACEMENT PLETHYSMOGRAPH FOR ASSESSING BODY COMPOSITION IN INFANTS

Author
item Wong, William
item MA, GUANSHENG - NATL.INST./NUTRIT./FOOD S
item YAO, MANJIANG - LIFE MEASUREMENT INC
item LIU, YAN - MATERN.7 CHILD CARE HOSPT
item LIN, AIWEI - SHANDONG UNIV, SCH/PUB.HE
item ZOU, HUI - MATERN.7 CHILD CARE HOSPT
item URLANDO, ALESSANDRO - LIFE MEASUREMENT INC
item NOMMSEN-RIVERS, LAURIE - UNV/CALIF.DAVIS-NUTRIT.DE
item DEWEY, KATHRYN - UNV/CALIF.DAVIS-NUTRIT.DE

Submitted to: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/2/2003
Publication Date: 9/2/2003
Citation: Wong, W.W., Ma, G., Yao, M., Liu, Y., Lin, A., Zou, H., Urlando, A., Nommsen-Rivers, L., Dewey, K.G. 2003. Validation of a new pediatric air-displacement plethysmograph for assessing body composition in infants. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 79:653-660.

Interpretive Summary: The accurate assessment of body composition during infancy provides important information for monitoring and evaluating growth patterns, efficacy of diet and medical interventions, progression of chronic disease, and recovery from malnutrition. We enrolled 53 infants in a study to evaluate the reliability and accuracy of a new pediatric air-displacement plethysmograph instrument (PEA POD) for body composition assessment in infants. No significant differences were detected in the percentage body fat measured by the PEA POD and the reference method by deuterium dilution. More importantly, the agreement between the two methods was not affected by the infant behavioral state, body mass or body fat. Therefore, we concluded that the PEA POD is a reliable, accurate and non-invasive method to measure body fatness in infants.

Technical Abstract: The accurate measurement of body composition is useful in assessments of infant growth and nutritional status. This study evaluated the reliability and accuracy of a new air-displacement plethysmography (ADP) system for body-composition assessment in infants. Between- and within-day reliability was assessed by comparing the percentage body fat (%BF) obtained on consecutive days and on the same day, respectively, in 36 full-term infants. Accuracy was assessed by comparing %BF measured with the use of ADP and %BF measured with the use of deuterium (2H2O) dilution in 53 infants.There were no significant differences in %BF between days (-0.50 +/- 1.21%BF) or within days (0.16 +/- 1.44%BF). Mean between- and within-day test-retest SDs of 0.69 and 0.72%BF, respectively, indicated excellent reliability. The %BF measurements obtained by using ADP were not significantly influenced by infant behavioral state. Mean %BF obtained by using ADP (20.32%BF) did not differ significantly from that obtained by using 2H2O dilution (20.39%BF), and the regression line [%BF(2H2O) = 0.851%BF (ADP) + 3.094] gave a high R2 (0.76) and a low SEE (3.26). The 95% limits of agreement between ADP and 2H2O (-6.84%BF, 6.71%BF) were narrower than those reported for other body-composition techniques used in infants. Individual differences between the 2 methods were not a function of body mass or fatness. CONCLUSION: ADP is a reliable and accurate instrument for determining %BF in infants, and it has the potential for use in both research and clinical settings.