Assessment of Body Fat and its Relation to Growth Score for Iraqi Children

Abstract

Percentage body fat is the only factor reflects the relative body composition. This search aimed to study the growth score of Iraqi children and its relation to percentage body fat. A total of 107 healthy children (53 girls and 54 boys), aged 2-12 y, were included in the present study. There were no significant differences between girls and boys in body mass index (p ?0.05) while a significant differences (p<0.05) were observed in protein, bone mineral content, body water, and free fat mass (p<0.001). The growth score ranged (0-98) with mean (45.54 ±24.96) for girls, and (1-94) with mean (55.61 ±25.37) for boys. Percentage body fat was significantly and positively correlated with body mass index and inversely with growth score in each sex group .While a non significant correlation was found between body mass index and growth score. We conclude that percentage body fat is a stronger tool than body mass index to follow the growth score and subsequently the health of children.

Keywords: Body fat, Body mass index, Overweight, Growth, Children.