CHANGES IN BODY-COMPOSITION DURING GROWTH IN HEALTHY SCHOOL-AGE-CHILDREN

Bone-mineral-free lean body mass (LBM) and fat mass (FM) were determin ed by DXA scanning in 343 healthy children and adolescents (142 males) aged 4.9-19.3 yr. The main sex difference was the earlier flattening of the LBM according to age curve for girls compared to boys and the h igher increase in FM with age in girls. 332 persons (140 males) were e xamined again after 1 yr and accretion rates for LBM and FM were calcu lated. The main sex difference was a later and higher peak in LBM accr etion in boys compared to girls and a nearly constant increase in FM t hroughout puberty in girls, while boys had no increase in FM during pu berty. The differences may reflect the higher androgen production in m ale puberty. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.