J Korean Soc Pediatr Endocrinol.  2010 Apr;15(1):7-13.

Body Composition Changes in Korean Children and Adolescents

• Lee YA
• Lim JS

Abstract

The term body composition describes the percentages of fat, bone, and muscle in the human body; it reflects the nutritional or growth status in children and adolescents. Further, its evaluation is clinically important to assess the nutritional abnormalities, growth failure, progress of chronic diseases, or treatment measures for these conditions. Body composition parameters such as total body fat and fat distribution are risk factors for metabolic disease not only in adults but also in children and adolescents. Inadequate bone mineral acquisition and failure to achieve peak bone mass is a risk for subsequent osteoporosis. Therefore, measuring the body composition is important to ascertain the natural course of metabolic diseases and to develop strategies for their prevention because the body composition of children and adolescents is predictive of their body composition as adults. This article will review the basic concept and methods of measuring body composition. This review also deals with the evaluation of body composition in Korean children and adolescents. Because the body composition of individuals differs with age, body weight, puberty, sex, race, and ethnicity, it is important for pediatricians to know the characteristics of the body composition change in Korean children and adolescents.

Keyword

Body composition; Metabolic disease; Fat distribution; Korean; Children and adolescents

MeSH Terms

Adipose Tissue
Adolescent
Adult
Body Composition
Body Weight
Child
Chronic Disease
Continental Population Groups
Humans
Metabolic Diseases
Muscles
Osteoporosis
Puberty
Risk Factors