Prediction of Total Body Muscle Mass by using Anthropometric Measurements in Pre - School Children

Objective

This study was conducted to predict total body muscle mass(TBMM) by using anthropometric measurements in pre-school children which gives better assessment of growth in healthy as well as in diseased. The simple and multiple linear equations were derived to predict TBMM by using simple, noninvasive tools i.e. anthropometric measurements.

Methods

Ninety pre- school (1-6yrs) apparently normal children were subjected to estimate total body muscle mass (TBMM) by 24 hours urinary creatinine excretion as one variant which refects the cellular growth. Six anthropometric measurements viz. weight, length/height, head circumference, chest circumference, mid-arm circumference and maximum-calf circumference were recorded in each child as physical growth variant.

Result

TBMM showed a gradual upward trend with age but no signifcant diference was found between the diferent age groups. Correlation and regression studies were done between two independent variables and it was found that length/height (P<0.01) was the best correlated anthropometric measurement to total body muscle mass and the second best being the body weight (P<0.01). TBMM was predicted by using the multiple linear regression equation (R2 =96.67%).

Conclusion

The best prediction (96.67%) of TBMM can be done by using all the studied anthropometric measurements in the conclusive equation.