ASSESSMENT OF BODY COMPONENT COMPOSITION BY THE METHOD OF BIOIMPEDANSOMETRY IN RURAL SCHOOLCHILDREN OF DIFFERENT AGES UNDER DIFFERENT LIVING CONDITIONS

Abstract

Introduction. Currently, the number of children with malnutrition is increasing. Nutritional status is influenced by various factors. Materials and methods. 319 rural schoolchildren aged 6–17 were examined; 224 lived in families, 95 — in a boarding school. To assess the nutritional status, a general clinical examination, determination of body composition by anthropometry and bioimpedancemetry methods were carried out. Height, body weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) were assessed using the WHO AnthroPlus program. Bioimpedancemetry was carried out according to the tetrapolar technique using the ABC-01 MEDASS. Results. In children from families, bioimpedancemetry revealed an excess of fat mass — in 59.1%, a deficit — in 24.7%; in children
from the boarding school, 35.3% have an excess, and 12.9% have a deficit. Normal indicators of fatfree mass were found in the majority of the surveyed from families (93.3%) and the boarding school (95.8%). Deficiency of active cell was found more often than excess (20.4% and 6.1% in children from families; 21.3% and 2.0% in children from the boarding school). Excess skeletal muscle mass was detected in 17.1% of boys from families and in 15.6% of boys from the boarding school. The median values of hip circumference, skeletal muscle mass, fat free mass, active cell mass, waist circumference were higher in children from families than in children from a boarding school. The period of adolescence was characterized by a statistically significant increase in all indicators of the component composition of the body compared with the period of the second childhood. In adolescence, only the body fat mass (FM) and musculoskeletal mass (SMM) indicators statistically significantly increased, while the Waist to Hip Rait indicator decreased. Discussion. Overweight was found in 12.8% of children, obesity — in 8.5%; body weight deficit — in 2.5%. In 11.9% of children, a latent disorder of fat metabolism was revealed, and in 2.8% of children, high BMI was due to hypertrophy of muscle tissue. There were also no significant changes in BMI between children of adolescence and youth, but the fat mass was significantly higher in children of adolescence than in adolescents. High values of the skeletal muscle mass indicator were found only in boys-athletes of adolescence and youth. Conclusion. The use of bioimpedancemetry in assessing the nutritional status of children helps to avoid errors in the formation of recommendations for nutrition correction. The component composition of the body is affected by both living conditions and age