Comparison of various anthropometric indices in predicting abdominal obesity in Chinese children: a cross-sectional study

Role of anthropometric indices as a screening tool for predicting metabolic syndrome among apparently healthy individuals of Karachi, Pakistan

Introduction

Anthropometric indices are affordable and non-invasive methods for screening metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, determining the most effective index for screening can be challenging.

Objective

To investigate the accuracy of anthropometric indices as a screening tool for predicting MetS among apparently healthy individuals in Karachi, Pakistan.

Methods

A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in Karachi, Pakistan, from February 2022 to August 2022. A total of 1,065 apparently healthy individuals aged 25 years and above were included. MetS was diagnosed using International Diabetes Federation guidelines. Anthropometric indices were defined based on body mass index (BMI), neck circumference (NC), mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), waist circumference (WC), waist to height ratio (WHtR), conicity index, reciprocal ponderal index (RPI), body shape index (BSI), and visceral adiposity index (VAI). The analysis involved the utilization of Pearson's correlation test and independent t-test to examine inferential statistics. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was also applied to evaluate the predictive capacities of various anthropometric indices regarding metabolic risk factors. Moreover, the area under the curve (AUC) was computed, and the chosen anthropometric indices' optimal cutoff values were determined.

Results

All anthropometric indices, except for RPI in males and BSI in females, were significantly higher in MetS than those without MetS. VAI [AUC 0.820 (95% CI 0.78-0.86)], WC [AUC 0.751 (95% CI 0.72-0.79)], WHtR [AUC 0.732 (95% CI 0.69-0.77)], and BMI [AUC 0.708 (95% CI 0.66-0.75)] had significantly higher AUC for predicting MetS in males, whereas VAI [AUC 0.693 (95% CI 0.64-0.75)], WHtR [AUC 0.649 (95% CI 0.59-0.70)], WC [AUC 0.646 (95% CI 0.59-0.61)], BMI [AUC 0.641 (95% CI 0.59-0.69)], and MUAC [AUC 0.626 (95% CI 0.57-0.68)] had significantly higher AUC for predicting MetS in females. The AUC of NC for males was 0.656 (95% CI 0.61-0.70), while that for females was 0.580 (95% CI 0.52-0.64). The optimal cutoff points for all anthropometric indices exhibited a high degree of sensitivity and specificity in predicting the onset of MetS.

Conclusion

BMI, WC, WHtR, and VAI were the most important anthropometric predictors for MetS in apparently healthy individuals of Pakistan, while BSI was found to be the weakest indicator.

Associations of Dietary Anthocyanidins Intake with Bone Health in Children: A Cross-Sectional Study

PURPOSE

Bone health and body composition share several common mechanisms like oxidative stress and inflammation. Anthocyanins have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We have reported that anthocyanins are associated with better body composition in children, but the associations with bone health have not been elucidated. We aimed to explore the association of anthocyanins with bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) at multiple sites in children.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, 452 Chinese children aged 6-9 years were recruited. A validated 79-item food frequency questionnaire was used to collect dietary information. BMC and BMD at multiple sites (whole body; whole body excluding head, WBEH; limbs; arms; legs) were measured by dual-energy X-ray.

RESULTS

Higher dietary intake of total anthocyanidins (per one standard deviation increase) was associated with a 1.28-13.6 g (1.31-1.60%, compared to median) higher BMC at all sites and a 3.61-6.96 mg (0.65-0.90%) higher BMD at the whole body, WBEH, and arm sites after controlling for a number of possible covariates. The results were similar and more pronounced for cyanidin, but not for delphinidin and peonidin. Higher dietary intake of cyanidin (per one standard deviation increase) was associated with a 1.33-15.4 g (1.48-1.68%) higher BMC at all sites and a 4.15-7.77 mg (0.66-1.00%) higher BMD at all sites except the legs. No statistically significant associations with BMC or BMD were found for dietary intake of delphinidin and peonidin.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher dietary intake of total anthocyanidins and cyanidins were associated with higher BMC and BMD in Chinese children.

Lean body mass but not body fat mass is related with leukocyte telomere length in children

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between body composition and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in healthy Chinese children aged 6-11 years.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study enrolled 406 healthy children (175 girls and 231 boys). The relative telomere length in their peripheral blood leukocytes was determined via quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to determine body fat content and regional fat distribution, appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM), bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) at the total body (TB) and total body less head (TBLH) levels, and total body lean mass (TBLM) was then determined. ASM/height² (ASMI) was also calculated.

RESULTS

After adjusting for potential covariates, multiple linear regression analyses revealed that neither body fat content nor regional body fat distribution were significantly associated with LTL (β = -8.48 × 10^-6-1.44 × 10^-1, p = 0.227-0.959). However, ASM, ASMI, TB BMC/TB BMD, TBLH BMC/TBLH BMD and TBLM were positively associated with LTL (β = 8.95 × 10^-6-4.95 × 10^-1, p = 0.005-0.035). Moreover, analysis of covariance revealed there was a statistically significant dose-dependent positive association between LTL and ASM, TB BMC/BMD, TBLH BMC/BMD, and TBLM (p-trend = 0.002-0.025).

CONCLUSIONS

Skeletal muscle mass and bone mass but not body fat content or distribution were significantly associated with LTL in this pediatric population.

Vitamin A Nutritional Status Is a Key Determinant of Bone Mass in Children

The bone mass increases that occur during the period of childhood are of great significance for maximizing the peak bone mass in adults and preventing for osteoporosis. Studies have reported that VA can improve the bone health in adults. Moreover, limited studies have assessed such associations in children. In this cross-sectional study including 426 children, we assessed the children’s plasma retinol concentration by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and the dietary intake of VA and carotenoids using a structured Food Frequency Questionnaire. Their bone mineral content and bone mineral density (BMD) were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. After adjusting for potential confounders, the restricted cubic spline revealed an inverted U-shaped association between plasma retinol concentration and BMD; the estimated effects on the TBLH BMD per μmol/L increase in the plasma retinol concentration were 1.79 × 10⁻² g/cm² below 1.24 μmol/L and −5.78 × 10⁻³ g/cm² above this point (p for non-linearity = 0.046). A multiple linear regression analysis revealed a positive association between the plasma retinol concentration and the TBLH BMC (β = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.64 × 10⁻¹–3.62, p = 0.032). In conclusion, an appropriate plasma retinol concentration and greater intakes of dietary VA and β-carotene may enhance the bone mineral status of children who are aged 6–9 years.

Anthropometric Indicators to Estimate Percentage of Body Fat: A Comparison Using Cross-Sectional Data of Children and Adolescents in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

OBJECTIVES

To compare the association between waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), body mass index (BMI), and percentage of body fat (PBF) measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) method in children and adolescents of Vietnam.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 153 children and adolescents aged 6-18 y old in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Correlations between indicators were determined using Pearson correlation coefficient (r). Linear regression was carried out with PBF as dependent variable to test the further association of potential indicators.

RESULTS

The strongest correlation was found between PBF and WHtR in all pubertal stages (0.712; 0.556; 0.638 in male; 0.635; 0.799; 0.611 in female, respectively). The regression analysis indicated that WHtR was the most effective estimator of PBF ([Formula: see text] = 0.69, RMSE = 4.54 for male; [Formula: see text] = 0.50, RMSE = 4.34 for female) in the model including pubertal stage variable for each gender.

CONCLUSIONS

The results support the use of WHtR as an effective indicator for detecting adiposity in Vietnamese children and adolescents.

Plant-based diets and body composition in Chinese omnivorous children aged 6-9 years old: A cross-sectional study

Evidence suggests that plant-based diets are beneficial for alleviating metabolic diseases. Childhood is a crucial period for body growth and development. However, it is unknown whether adherence to a plant-based diet is related to a healthy body composition in children. We aimed to assess the relationship between a plant-based diet and body composition in children. A total of 452 Chinese children aged 6–9 years old participated in this cross-sectional study. Lean mass (LM), fat mass, and fat mass percentage (FMP) were assessed via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. An age- and sex-specific abdominal FMP ≥85th percentile was defined as abdominal obesity. Handgrip strength was measured using a hydraulic hand dynamometer. A validated 79-item food frequency questionnaire was used to collect dietary information. Overall plant-based diet index (PDI), healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI), and unhealthful plant-based diet index (uPDI) scores were calculated. After adjusting for potential covariates, a higher hPDI score (per 10-score increment) was associated with a higher LM in the android area (0.038 kg, 3.2%), gynoid area (0.048 kg, 1.9%), and trunk (0.102 kg, 1.2%) and with a lower FMP (1.18%) in the android area. In contrast, a higher uPDI score (per 10-score increment) was associated with a lower LM in the trunk (0.091 kg, 1.1%) and android area (0.023 kg, 1.9%) and with a higher FMP (0.74%) in the android area. No significant associations were observed between the overall PDI and body composition or abdominal obesity. After stratifying by sex, higher (vs. lower) hPDI scores was associated with lower abdominal obesity risk in girls and higher handgrip strength in boys. In conclusion, in this cross-sectional study, we found that stronger adherence to a healthful plant-based diet, and less adherence to an unhealthful plant-based diet was associated with better body composition in Chinese omnivorous children aged 6–9 years old. Our results highlight the need to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy plant foods within investigating how to obtain a healthy body composition in children.

Associations of the Gut Microbiota Composition and Fecal Short-Chain Fatty Acids with Leukocyte Telomere Length in Children Aged 6 to 9 Years in Guangzhou, China: A Cross-sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Telomere length (TL) serves as a marker of cellular senescence and appears to plateau between the age of 4 y and young adulthood, after which the gut microbiota are supposed to be established. However, scarce data are available regarding the correlation between gut microbiota composition and TL in the pediatric population.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to investigate whether the gut microbiota and the concentrations of SCFAs in feces are associated with leukocyte TL in children.

METHODS

In total, 401 children aged 6-9 y from Guangzhou were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. qPCR was used to determine relative TL in peripheral blood leukocytes. The gut microbiota was characterized by 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequencing and the fecal concentrations of total SCFAs and SCFA subtypes were determined using HPLC. The multivariate methods with an unbiased variable selection (MUVR) algorithm and partial least square models were used to select predictable operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Further correlation analyses were performed based on multiple linear regression models with adjustment for covariates and false discovery rate.

RESULTS

With the use of MUVR, 35 relevant and minimal optimal OTUs were finally selected. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the abundance of several OTUs, including OTU334 (belonging to the genus Family XIII AD3011 group), OTU726 (belonging to the species Lachnoclostridium phocaeense), OTU1441 (belonging to the genus Ruminococcus torques group), OTU2553 (belonging to the genus Lachnospiraceae UCG-010), and OTU3375 (belonging to the family Lachnospiraceae), was negatively associated with leukocyte TL (β: -0.187 to -0.142; false discovery rate (FDR)-corrected P value (PFDR) = 0.009-0.035]. However, neither SCFA subtype nor total SCFA content in feces exhibited significant associations with TL (β: -0.032 to 0.048; PFDR = 0.915-0.969).

CONCLUSIONS

The gut microbiota, but not fecal SCFA concentration, was significantly associated with TL in this pediatric population.

Independent and combined influences of physical activity, screen time, and sleep quality on adiposity indicators in Indian adolescents

BACKGROUND

Inadequate physical activity (PA), excess screen time (ST), and sub-optimal sleep quality tend to co-occur during adolescence. Yet, little is known about the associations of these behaviors as a cluster with adiposity indicators in Indian adolescents. This study aimed to evaluate the independent and combined influences of PA, ST, and sleep quality on body mass index (BMI) and waist to height ratio (WHtR) in 10-15 years old adolescents in Mumbai, India. A secondary aim was to explore if these influences vary between sexes.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study. Adolescents (n = 772, mean age 13.2 (1.4) years) reported frequency and duration of moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) and time spent using screens on a previously validated instrument. Sleep quality was estimated using the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Weight, height, and waist circumference were measured. Mixed effect logistic regression analyses were performed to explore associations between adiposity indicators (BMI z scores > +1SD and WHtR > 0.5) and unhealthy behaviors (PA < 60 min/d, ST > 120 min/d and PSQI scores > 5), stratified by sex.

RESULTS

The combined prevalence of overweight and obesity was 38.3%. Overall, 62.0 and 85.0% reported MVPA< 60 min/d and ST > 120 min/d respectively. Girls reported higher ST (218.21 (69.01) min/d) as compared to boys (165.3 (101.22) min/d, p < 0.001). Clustering of low PA and excess ST was observed in 69.2% and of all three unhealthy behaviors in 18.8%. Among girls, MVPA < 60 min/d (OR = 1.78, 95% CI 1.54-1.92, p < 0.001) and PSQI scores > 5 (OR = 2.01, 95% CI 1.78-2.25, p < 0.001) predicted increased BMI. The odds of overweight/obesity were 2.10 times higher in boys reporting low PA and 4.13 times higher in those with low PA+ ST > 120 min/d. Clustering of all three unhealthy behaviors increased prevalence of obesity in both sexes.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicated a co-existence of multiple unhealthy lifestyle factors of obesity and that clustering of these behaviors can further aggravate obesity risk as compared to their independent effects. Integrated interventions that leverage the cumulative benefits of being active, less sedentary and sufficient sleep are warranted to facilitate greater improvements in obesity risk behaviors.

Individualised prognosis for risk of developing abdominal obesity in the paediatric population

AIMS

To develop and validate risk scores for predicting abdominal obesity in South American children and adolescents based on extrinsic and intrinsic variables.

METHODS

Children (n = 358) and adolescents (n = 369) from seven South American cities from the South American Youth Cardiovascular and Environmental (SAYCARE) Study. The primary outcome was abdominal obesity. Potential predictors were based on sociodemographic, maternal, environmental, and behavioural factors and nutritional status. In multilevel logistic models, associated variables were tested to build the scores, which were internally validated.

RESULTS

We identified 120 children and 98 adolescents who were abdominally obese. We found at least five variables associated with the outcome in children with unacceptable predictive capacity. However, in adolescents, we found that biological sex, age, maternal body mass index (BMI), active commuting by bike, soft drink consumption (for risk score A), and weight (for score B) can predict abdominal obesity. Both scores, A and B, showed acceptable performance in the ROC curve [areas under curve: 0.70 (95% CI: 0.56-0.82) and 0.95 (95% CI: 0.89-1.00), respectively].

CONCLUSION

The SAYCARE risk scores present accurate, individualised estimates for identifying adolescents who are at risk of developing abdominal obesity. However, these have not been externally validated.

Associations of dietary anthocyanidins intake with body composition in Chinese children: a cross-sectional study

Background

Previous animal and in vitro studies indicated that anthocyanidins might contribute to the prevention of obesity, while epidemiological evidences were scarce and had not been conducted in children.

Objective

We explored the associations between anthocyanidins and body composition in children.

Design

A cross-sectional study involving 452 children aged 6–9 years in Guangzhou, China, was carried out. Dietary information was collected using a 79-items food frequency questionnaire. Fat mass (FM), lean mass (LM), and fat mass percentage (FMP) at multi-sites (whole body, trunk, limbs, android area, and gynoid area) were measured using a dual-energy X-ray scan. Abdominal obesity was defined as an age- and sex-specific abdominal FM ≥ 85th percentile. Handgrip strength was measured using a hydraulic hand dynamometer.

Results

After adjusted for several potential covariates, higher dietary intake of anthocyanidin (per one standard deviation increase) was associated with a 0.013–0.223 kg increase of LM, a 0.024–0.134 kg decrease of FM, and a 0.63–0.76% decrease of FMP at multi-sites (P < 0.05). Results were similar and more pronounced for delphinidin and cyanidin, but less significant for peonidin. Higher dietary anthocyanidin intake (per standard deviation increase) was associated with a 41.0% (OR: 0.59, 95%CI: 0.37, 0.94) decreased risk of abdominal obesity. However, no significant associations were observed between anthocyanidin and handgrip strengths.

Conclusions

Higher dietary intake of anthocyanidin and its components tended to be associated with better body composition, but not handgrip strength, in Chinese children at early age.

Performance of waist-to-height ratio as a screening tool for identifying cardiometabolic risk in children: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To provide the latest evidence of performance and robustness of waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) in discriminating clusters of cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRs) and promote WHtR in routine primary health care practice in children, a meta-analysis was used.

METHODS

Searches was performed in eight databases from inception to July 03, 2020. Inclusion criteria were: (1) observational study, (2) children and adolescents, (3) provided WHtR measurements, (4) had CMRs as outcomes, and (5) diagnostic studies. Exclusion criteria were: (1) non-original articles, (2) unable to extract 2 × 2 contingency tables, (3) not in English or Chinese language, (4) populations comprising clinical patients, or (5) duplicate articles. WHtR cutoff points, 2 × 2 contingency tables were extracted from published reports. Outcomes included: CMR clusters of at least three CMRs (CMR₃), two (CMR₂), one (CMR₁), and CMR components. Bivariate mixed-effects models were performed to estimate the summarised area under the curves (AUSROC) with 95% CIs and related indexes. We conducted subgroup analyses by sex and East Asian ethnicity.

RESULTS

Fifty-three observational studies were included. The AUSROC reached 0.91 (95% CI: 0.88-0.93), 0.85 (95% CI: 0.81, 0.88) and 0.75 (95% CI: 0.71, 0.79) for CMR₃, CMR₂, and CMR₁, respectively. The pooled sensitivity and specificity for CMR₃ reached 0.84 and exceeded 0.75 for CMR₂. For CMR₁, the sensitivity achieved 0.55 with 0.84 for specificity. We had similar findings for our subgroup and sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

WHtR shows good and robust performance in identifying CMRs clustering across racial populations, suggesting its promising utility in public health practice globally.

Associations of Plasma Copper, Magnesium, and Calcium Levels with Blood Pressure in Children: a Cross-sectional Study

Studies of the relationship of copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca) levels with blood pressure in children are limited. This cross-sectional study included 443 children aged 6-9 years from Guangzhou, China. Plasma concentrations of Cu, Mg, and Ca were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured with an electronic sphygmomanometer. Elevated SBP and DBP were defined as the 90th percentile or greater (age and sex specific) of reference values for Chinese children. Abnormal blood pressure (ABP) was defined as an elevated SBP and/or DBP. The plasma Cu concentration was positively correlated with blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and the C-reactive protein (CRP) level, whereas the plasma Mg and Ca concentrations were negatively correlated with SBP. A higher Cu concentration (T3 vs. T1) was associated with a higher risk of ABP (odds ratio (OR) 2.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20 to 5.40). In contrast, children in the top tertiles of Mg (OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.98) and Ca (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.70) concentrations showed lower risks of ABP than those in the bottom tertiles. Path analysis showed that the CRP levels and BMI mediated the associations between the Cu concentration and ABP. We found that higher plasma Mg and Ca concentrations were negatively related to blood pressure in children aged 6-9 years. In contrast, a higher plasma Cu concentration was positively correlated with the risk of ABP, and the association was mediated by CRP and BMI.

Use of Anthropometry Versus Ultrasound for the Assessment of Body Fat and Comorbidities in Children With Obesity

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to examine the association between abdominal fat measured by ultrasound and anthropometric indices in children with obesity, and those with normal weight. We also examined the association between anthropometry and fat measures in the prediction of comorbidities in children with obesity.

METHODS

Forty children with body mass index of >95th percentile were included as cases, and a comparable group of 32 healthy average-weight peers were included as controls in this study. All children underwent clinical assessment, anthropometric measures, and evaluation of abdominal subcutaneous fat (SCF) and visceral fat by ultrasound. Fasting blood sugar, serum transaminases, and lipid profile of all the included children were also evaluated.

RESULTS

Children with obesity had a mean age of 8.7 ± 2.9 years (range 3-13). The SCF and intraperitoneal fat (IPF) values correlated well with each other and with anthropometric measurements in children with obesity. Among all the included cases, 90% were metabolically unhealthy, 70% had hypertension, 52.5% had dyslipidemia, and 22.5% had echogenic liver. Anthropometric measures, abdominal SCF and IPF were higher in children with complications. SCF was observed as a good predictor for hepatic echogenicity among the measured ultrasound parameters (P: 0.03, odds ratio 4.6). The best cutoff value for SCF in cases with hepatic echogenicity was 23.2 mm with an overall accuracy of 80%.

CONCLUSIONS

In children with obesity, abdominal SCF and IPF correlated well with anthropometric measures and were higher in children with comorbidities. This finding, however, did not predict comorbidities apart from those with echogenic liver.

Relationship Between Plasma Copper Concentration and Body Fat Distribution in Children in China: a Cross-Sectional Study

This study aimed to explore the association of the plasma copper concentration with body fat distribution and the potential mediating effect of inflammation status in children. A total of 454 children were recruited in this study. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was applied to measure the fat mass (FM) and fat mass percentages (FM%) at whole body, trunk, appendicular, android, and gynoid regions. Android to gynoid fat mass ratio and fat mass to lean mass (FM/LM) ratio at whole body, trunk, and appendicular sites were calculated. Plasma copper concentration was measured via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. C-reactive protein (CRP) was determined by ELISA. After adjusting for covariates, multiple linear regression analyses showed that, for every additional unit increase in the plasma copper concentration, the FM, FM%, and FM/LM at whole body and subregions increased by 0.030-0.472 kg (P < 0.001-0.019), 0.013-1.04% (P = 0.007-0.042), and 0.021-0.030 (P < 0.001), respectively. Mediating analysis suggested that CRP significantly mediated 22.0-30.6% (P < 0.001) of the estimated association of copper with FM% and FM/LM at whole body and limbs. Thus, children with higher plasma levels of copper tended to have a higher regional and overall body fat deposition, and this relationship was partly mediated by inflammatory status.

The associations of the gut microbiome composition and short-chain fatty acid concentrations with body fat distribution in children

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Previous studies linking the gut microbiome with childhood obesity largely used the body mass index to measure obesity and reached inconsistent findings. Little evidence has linked the gut microbiome to regional body fat deposition. We investigated whether the abundance of specific taxa in the gut microbiota and the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were associated with the content and regional deposition of body fat in children.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study involved 236 children aged 6-9 years. The fat mass contents/percentages in the total body and the android, gynoid, and limb regions were determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and the android-to-gynoid fat mass ratio and fat-to-lean mass ratios were calculated. Fecal samples were subjected to16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, and the fecal SCFA concentrations were quantified via high-performance liquid chromatography.

RESULTS

A weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified seven modules of co-expressed operational taxonomic units (OTUs). A total of 57 OTUs from 4 key modules were selected for further analysis. After adjustment of covariates and controlling for the false discovery rate (FDR), a multiple linear regression analysis revealed significant correlations of the abundances of some OTUs with obesity and body fat measures. For instance, the OTUs classified to the species Ruminococcus gnavus and Flavonifractor plautii showed significant negative correlations with the total and regional body fat (β: -0.250 to -0.180, P_FDR: 0.041-0.049), whereas OTUs belonging to the genera Blautia and Romboutsia exhibited positive correlations with body fat measures (β: 0.184-0.222, P_FDR: 0.041-0.049). The fecal concentrations of acetic, propionic, and butyric acids and total SCFAs were significantly positively correlated with various parameters of body fat distribution (β: 0.160-0.275, P_FDR: <0.001-0.042).

CONCLUSION

The gut microbiome and SCFAs are significantly associated with obesity and body fat distribution in pediatric population.

Associations of Weight-Adjusted Body Fat and Fat Distribution with Bone Mineral Density in Chinese Children Aged 6-10 Years

Although obesity is considered osteoprotective, the effects of body fat and fat distribution on bone tissue after adjusting for the effects of body weight remain uncertain. This study evaluated the relationships between fat mass, fat distribution, and bone mineral status beyond its weight-bearing effect. We recruited 466 children aged 6–10 years in China. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to determine the bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) in the total body and total body less head (TBLH), as well as the fat mass (FM) and percentage fat mass (%FM) of the total and segmental body. Weight-adjusted measures of FM and %FM were derived using the residual method. After adjusting for the effects of covariates, we observed statistically significant, dose-dependent negative relationships between the TBLH·BMD/BMC and various weight-adjusted measures of body fat (p for trend: <0.001–0.038). For each standard deviation increment in the weight-adjusted total body, TBLH, trunk and limbs, the size-adjusted BMC decreased approximately 9.44, 9.28, 8.13, and 6.65 g in boys, respectively, and by approximately 13.74, 13.71, 7.84, and 12.95 g in girls, respectively. Significant inverse associations between FM accumulation in the total body and most body parts with the BMD/BMC were observed in both boys and girls after adjusting for weight and potential confounders.