Body composition and basal metabolic rate in pre-school children: no sex difference
Djafarian، Kurosh نويسنده Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetic, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , , R-Speakman، John نويسنده Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetic, Tehran University ofMedical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND The Division of Obesity and Metabolic Health, Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen, Bucksburn, Aberdeen,Scotland, United Kingdom R-Speakman, John , Stewart، Joanne نويسنده Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetic, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , , M-Jackson، Diane نويسنده Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health,Division of Obesity and Metabolic Health,University of Aberdeen,Aberdeen,UK ,
Background: Previous studies have suggested that sex may be a factor influencing basal metabolic rate (BMR) in adults and school age children. However, few data are available about the effects of sex on BMR in pre-school children. In the present study, we investigated whether sex differences contribute to variations in BMR in pre-school age children.
Methods: Measurements were made on thirty children aged 2-6 years (14 male and 16 female). Measurements were taken of height, age, weight, and total body composition, which was determined using both dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and deuterium dilution. The DXA was also used to determine body composition in different regions of the body. BMR was measured by indirect calorimetry.
Results: We found no significant sex differences with respect to age (F = 0, p = 0.998), weight (F = 0.02, p = 0.884), height (F = 0.33, p = 0.570), and body mass index standard deviation score (F = 0.51, p = 0.480). In addition, no significant difference was found between boys and girls for total fat free mass (FFM) (F = 1.30, p = 0.265) and fat mass (FM) (F = 3.16, p = 0.090) measured by DXA, and total FFM (F = 0.79, p = 0.380) and FM (F = 3.38, p = 0.080) obtained by deuterium dilution. There was no significant difference between pre-school boys and girls for BMR (F = 0.16, p = 0.690). In a multiple regression analysis, only log weight was significantly associated to BMR. The explain variation was 75.3%.
Conclusion: In conclusions we found no significant differences in body composition between pre-school boys and girls and no sex effect on BMR in this age group.