ABSTRACT
With the increasing global prevalence of overweight and obesity, pediatric body composition continues to be of high interest to clinicians, researchers, and the general public. Measurement of body composition and fat distribution, and changes in these factors among infants, children, and adolescents, can provide more information about nutritional status than simple anthropometric measurements alone and may provide important insights about later size and health that can be used to guide nutritional interventions and clinical practice. Assessing body composition and body composition changes in this population is, however, challenged by several factors, including the limited number of methods that can be used continuously from infancy through adolescence, physical challenges (excessive movement, crying, equipment designed only for a specific range of body sizes), and lack of validation studies.
