Challenges in body composition assessment using air-displacement plethysmography by BOD POD in pediatric and young adult patients.

Background & Aims: Air-Displacement-Plethysmography (ADP) by BOD POD is widely used for body fat assessment in children. Although validated in healthy subjects, studies about use in pediatric patients are lacking. We evaluated user experience and usability of ADP measurements with the BOD POD system in healthy children and pediatric and young adult patients.

Resting Energy Expenditure and Body Composition in Children and Adolescents With Genetic, Hypothalamic, Medication-Induced or Multifactorial Severe Obesity.

Background: Pediatric obesity is a multifactorial disease which can be caused by underlying medical disorders arising from disruptions in the hypothalamic leptin-melanocortin pathway, which regulates satiety and energy expenditure.

Aim: To investigate and compare resting energy expenditure (REE) and body composition characteristics of children and adolescents with severe obesity with or without underlying medical causes.

Methods: This prospective observational study included pediatric patients who underwent an extensive diagnostic workup in our academic centre that evaluated endocrine, non-syndromic and syndromic genetic, hypothalamic, and medication-induced causes of obesity.