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Validity of fat percentage evaluation for fat-thin judgement derived from standard weight in preschool children

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Abstract

In the present study, we measured body composition of boys and girls aged 3–5 years and investigated changes with age. We also composed regression polynomials of body weight against height from the data and the data for young children obtained similarly in the present study, determined the valid order for the polynomial, and developed a regression evaluation. Obesity was determined from the regression evaluation for body weight against height and compared with obesity determined from the body fat percentages obtained in this study to investigate the validity of body composition measurements of young children. A comparison was then made of children whose fat-thin level was judged from height and weight in this way and determinations of fat-thin level judged from statistical values for fat percentage measured in this study. In boys both distributions show essentially the same trends, whereas in girls the distribution shows a marked change toward “somewhat thin”. Fat percentage judgements were more common in “somewhat thin”, and overall there was a greater trend toward obesity in judgements from weight vs. height regression evaluation charts.

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Correspondence to Toshiro Sakai.

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Sakai, T., Demura, S. & Fujii, K. Validity of fat percentage evaluation for fat-thin judgement derived from standard weight in preschool children. Sport Sci Health 5, 105–112 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-009-0085-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-009-0085-7

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