J Paediatr Child Health. 2021 Sep;57(9):1414-1419. doi: 10.1111/jpc.15491. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Thea von Graffenried ¹, Jean-Philippe Godin ², Alain Schoepfer ³, Isabelle Breton ², Francois-Pierre Martin ⁴, Andreas Nydegger ¹

Author information

• ¹Pediatric Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University of Lausanne, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland.
• ²Nestle Research, Nestlé Institute of Food Safety and Analytical Sciences, Lausanne, Switzerland.
• ³Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Lausanne, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland.
• ⁴Nestlé Research, Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, EPFL Innovation Park, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Abstract

Aim: To assess different techniques to measure body composition in paediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry as a reference method. We hypothesised that a three-compartment model may demonstrate superiority over other methods as skinfold thickness equations and bioelectrical impedance analysis.

Methods: Body composition was assessed using skinfold thickness equations, bioelectrical impedance analysis and the three-compartment model. Data obtained with these methods were compared to the results obtained by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Statistical analysis was performed using Spearman's correlation and Bland-Altman's limits of agreement method.

Results: Twenty-one paediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease were included: 11 females and 10 males; mean age for the entire group: 14.3 years, range 12-16 years. In children with inflammatory bowel disease, skinfold thickness equations, bioelectrical impedance analysis and the three-compartment model showed reliable measurements with small differences in the percentage of total body fat and good limits of agreements.

Conclusion: The assessment of body composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis provides a valid and accurate method in children with inflammatory bowel disease as compared to dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. In the future, superiority of 3-compartment model in research and clinical settings of nutritional intervention and disease status in children with inflammatory bowel disease remains to be demonstrated.