Total body water by BIA in children and young adults with normal and excessive weight

Background Estimation of total body water (TBW) is essential for clinical care. Objective Evaluation of changes in TBW by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in children and young adults with excessive weight. Design Data was collected in individuals aged 3–21 years with normal (n = 202) or excessive body weight (n = 133). The BIA results from individuals with normal weight were compared with two previously published studies in children by isotope dilution methods. Results Individuals with excessive weight had a higher mean TBW (27.87 L, SE 0.368) for height and age as compared to individuals with normal weight (23.95 L, SE 0.298), P<0.001. However, individuals with excessive weight had lower mean TBW (24.93 L, SE 0.37) for weight and body surface area (BSA) as compared to individuals with normal weight (26.94 L, SE 0.287), P<0.001. Comparison with two previously published studies showed no significant differences in mean TBW with one ((p = 1.00) but a significant difference with another study (p = 0.001). Conclusions Individuals with excessive weight had 16.5% higher mean TBW for height and age and 7.4% lower TBW for weight and BSA as compared to normal weight individuals. Our study validates the feasibility of data collection in pediatric outpatient setting by BIA.