Project lead: Dr Zelda White

Techniques used to assess body fat in children provide useful body composition estimates when used together with anthropometric measures (such as body mass, height and weight). The methods used to assess body composition are costly and simply unavailable. This study, led by Dr Zelda White of the Department of Human Nutrition in collaboration with physiologists and statisticians set out to validate a standard equation that can be used to calculate body composition in African children against the Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) scanner. The study investigated the relationship between (i) body composition and bone health; (ii) vitamin D status and bone health and (iii) vitamin D status and body composition against the DAXA readings.

Most studies exploring bone health have focused on adults, particularly women. The outcomes of this study hold potential for studying body composition among children. It could also be useful in assessments that investigate how certain diseases and changes in body weight affect children’s body composition. The study holds potential in terms of using less invasive measures to assess nutritional status and body composition.