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Neurology and Developmental Paediatrics
PO-0829 Assessment Of Body Fat Percentage In Children With Cerebral Palsy
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  1. AK Finbråten1,
  2. U Syversen2,
  3. J Skranes1,
  4. G Andersen3,
  5. R Stevenson4,
  6. T Vik1
  1. 1Department of Laboratory Medicine Children’s and Women’s Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
  2. 2Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
  3. 3The Cerebral Palsy Register of Norway, Habilitation Center Vestfold Hospital, Tønsberg, Norway
  4. 4Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA

Abstract

Background and aim Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have higher risk for malnutrition and poor growth; however, it is difficult to assess nutritional status. The aim was to assess body fat percentage based on anthropometric measurements and compare it with direct measurement of percentage body fat with dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in children with CP.

Methods Forty-seven children (age range: 8–18 years; 18 girls) with CP participated and had their body fat percentage measured using DXA. Body fat percentages were estimated from triceps and subscapular skinfolds using standard (Slaughter et al.) and CP-specific equations (Gurka et al.). Differences and agreement between DXA and skinfold body fat percentage were analysed by comparing mean differences by Bland-Altman plots.

Result The CP-specific equations (r = 0.883) and the standard equations (r = 0.819) had excellent correlation coefficient with DXA fat percent. The standard equations underestimated body fat percent (mean difference: -7.1%) measured by DXA (Figure 1). In contrast, the mean difference between fat percent calculated by the CP-specific equations and by DXA differed marginally (+ 1.4%) (Figure 2).

Conclusion Accurate measures of body fat percentages may be obtained using two skinfold measurements with the CP-specific equations in children with CP.

Abstract PO-0829 Figure 1
Abstract PO-0829 Figure 1
Abstract PO-0829 Figure 2
Abstract PO-0829 Figure 2

https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2014-307384.1462

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