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Background: The composition of fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) are now considered to be important indicators of body composition. Aim: This cross-sectional study determines the body composition using FM and FFM among children. Subjects and methods: The study was conducted among 1248 children (619 boys; 629 girls) aged 5-12 years and belonging to the Bengalee Muslim population of West Bengal, India. Anthropometric measurements of height, weight, triceps and sub-scapular skin-folds were recorded and body mass index (BMI) calculated. Body composition was assessed using FM and FFM. Results: The age-specific mean values of FM and FFM ranged from 1.93-3.07 kg (boys) and 1.91-3.62 kg (girls) and from 14.69-23.44 kg (boys) and 14.18-22.87 kg (girls), respectively. Statistically significant sex differences were observed in FM and FFM ( p < 0.05). Age- and sex-specific smooth percentile curves were derived for BMI, FM and FFM using the L, M and S modelling approach for further evaluation of body composition. Conclusion: These findings are important for future investigations in the field and in epidemiological and clinical settings so as to accurately identify risk of lower or higher adiposity and body composition using FM and FFM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present cross-sectional study evaluates the utility of the Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (CIAF) over conventional nutritional indices for nutritional assessment. It also assesses the impact of various socio-economic and demographic factors on the CIAF. Subjects and methods: Height, weight, age, socio-economic and demographic data were recorded from 3444 children (1682 boys; 1762 girls) aged 1-12 years and residing in Darjeeling district, West Bengal, India. The conventional anthropometric indices and CIAF were compared with the NCHS reference data to assess prevalence of under-nutrition. A multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the impact of different socio-economic and demographic variables on the CIAF. Results: Prevalence of under-nutrition was observed to be 21.5% (wasting), 43.3% (stunting) and 52.0% (underweight). This increased to 63.6% using the CIAF. The multinomial logistic regression odds showed that children suffering from double and multiple failures were significantly associated with the socio-economic and demographic variables. Conclusion: The CIAF provides more precision in identifying the nutritionally vulnerable segment of the population. The disaggregation of CIAF has an adequate potential to enhance the efficacy of a nutritional intervention programme by identifying double or multiple failures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Upper arm muscle area (UMA) and upper arm fat area (UFA) were introduced for assessment of child nutritional status. Aim: This cross-sectional study assesses child nutritional status using UMA and UFA. It also evaluates the suitability of upper arm muscle area by height (UAMAH) for assessing child under-nutrition with respect to stunting and wasting. Subjects and methods: The study was conducted among 1248 children (619 boys; 629 girls) aged 5-12 years belonging to the Bengalee Muslim Population of West Bengal, India. Anthropometric measurements of height, weight, mid-upper arm circumference and triceps skin-fold were recorded. Nutritional status was assessed using UMA, UFA and UAMAH. Percentile curves were derived using the least median square method. Results: Mean age specific values of UMA, UFA and UAMAH of boys and girls were markedly below the 5th percentile. Using UAMAH, a very high proportion of children (boys, 91.28%; girls, 88.55%) were found to be under-nourished. Prevalence of stunting (boys, 39.74%; girls, 41.49%) and wasting (boys, 19.55%; girls, 15.74%) were also found to be high. Conclusion: The combination of UMA, UFA, UAMAH and conventional nutritional indices appear to be useful for assessment of child under-nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In India, children show a high incidence of undernutrition and constitute a highly susceptible group. Aim: The present cross-sectional study assesses the prevalence of undernutrition among school-going children belonging to three communities in the same geographical and ecological habitat. Subjects and methods: A total of 906 boys and 964 girls in the age group of 5–12 years and belonging to the Rajbanshi, Tea-labourer and Bengalee Muslim communities residing in North Bengal, India were included. Height-for-age, weight-for-age and weight-for-height were used to evaluate their nutritional status and these were compared with the NCHS reference data. The statistical methods used included chi-square and multinomial logistic regression analysis. Results: There were wide variations in stunting, underweight and wasting among the children of the three ethnic communities. Significant gender differences were observed between and within the communities. Children from Tea-labourer and Bengali Muslim were more affected in comparison to the Rajbanshi. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that gender, ethnic community and number of siblings are significantly associated with undernutrition. Family size does not seem to be associated with undernutrition. Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of undernutrition among the children. Urgent nutritional intervention is necessary to ameliorate their nutritional status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of child undernutrition is high around the world, particularly alarming in the developing countries. This cross-sectional investigation has been undertaken among rural primary school-going children residing in Phansidewa block of Darjeeling district. The study sample was 2111 children (1028 boys; 1083 girls) aged 5–12 years. Height, weight was taken and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. The recent international cut-off of BMI of Cole et al. was used to assess the prevalence of thinness. The overall mean BMI among boys and girls were 14.01 ± 1.57 kg m−2 and 14.17 ± 1.87 kg m−2 respectively (p < 0.05). A very high prevalence was observed in overall thinness (71.11% boys; 67.77% girls, p > 0.05) in the different grades of thinness. Child undernutrition (thinness) is a major underlying problem in Indian rural children, especially in rural West Bengal, where appropriate nutritional intervention strategies are necessary to improve their nutritional status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]