Associations of Growth Impairment and Body Composition among South African School-Aged Children Enrolled in the KaziAfya Project |
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| Authors: | Kurt Z. Long,Johanna Beckmann,Christin Lang,Harald Seelig,Siphesihle Nqweniso,Nicole Probst-Hensch,Ivan Mü ller,Uwe Pü hse,Peter Steinmann,Rosa du Randt,Cheryl Walter,Jü rg Utzinger,Markus Gerber |
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| Affiliation: | 1.Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland; (N.P.-H.); (P.S.); (J.U.);2.University of Basel, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland;3.Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland; (J.B.); (C.L.); (H.S.); (I.M.); (U.P.); (M.G.);4.Department of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth 6001, South Africa; (S.N.); (R.d.R.); (C.W.) |
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| Abstract: | (1) Background: Early childhood malnutrition may result in increased fat mass (FM) among school-aged children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We explored whether South African children with shorter stature have greater overall and abdominal FM compared to normal stature children. (2) Methods: Baseline assessments of body composition and weight were determined among school-aged children enrolled in a randomized controlled trial in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Multiple linear regression models tested associations of children’s height and degree of stunting with FM, fat free mass (FFM), truncal fat mass (TrFM), and truncal fat free mass (TrFFM) overall and by sex. (3) Results: A total of 1287 children (619 girls, 668 boys) were assessed at baseline. Reduced child height was associated with higher FM and lower FFM and TrFFM, but these associations were reversed with increases in height. Girls classified as mildly or moderately/severely stunted had higher FM and TrFM but lower FFM and TrFFM, while no association was found for boys. (4) Conclusions: Our study suggests that efforts to reduce the non-communicable disease burden in LMICs should target growth-impaired children who may have greater overall FM and greater abdominal FM. |
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| Keywords: | height stunting body composition fat mass school-aged children South Africa |
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