Abstract:
Background and aim: To date, no studies have examined the validity of skinfold-based (SF) equations and Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) in predicting body fat in children of Middle-Eastern origin. The objective of this study was to examine the predictive validity of previously published SF-based equations and BIA in estimating body fat in 8-10 year-old Lebanese children, and to develop new prediction equations for use in this population group. Methods: 158 subjects participated in the study. Percent body fat (percent BF) estimates derived from SF-based equations and BIA were compared against the deuterium dilution technique (DDL). Multivariate linear regression analyses were conducted for the development of new prediction equations to estimate percentBF using anthropometric variables. Results: Bland-Altman analysis showed that SF-based equations and BIA significantly underestimated percentBF as compared to DDL. Mean differences in percentBF ranged between 1.3 and 6.5percent in boys and 4.5-9.5percent in girls. New anthropometry-based equations were proposed for the prediction of percentBF in Lebanese pre-pubertal children. Conclusion: Previously published prediction equations underestimated percentBF in Lebanese pre-pubertal children. The validity of the new prediction equations developed in this study to estimate percentBF in Lebanese children needs to be investigated in future studies. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism.