OBJECTIVE: Studying gender differences in fat mass and distribution in a homogeneous group of children. DESIGN: Crosssectional study. SUBJECTS: 610 children aged 5 ± 7 y in Kiel, Germany. METHODS: Anthropometric measures, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). RESULTS: Although boys had increased body weights (P`0.05), body mass indexes (BMI's) (P`0.001) and waistahip ratios (WHRs) (P`0.001), the %fat mass as assessed by BIA (P`0.05) was increased in girls. Although the increased BMI in boys was independent of the percentile used, gender differences (that is, lower values for boys than for girls at the same age) in WHR, the sum of four skinfolds and %fat were seen up to the 90th percentile. By contrast, above the 90th percentile there were no differences in skinfold thickness and %fat between boys and girls. Studying 42 BMImatched pairs (boys and girls) also showed that the %fat estimated by BIA (P`0.001) was increased in girls. Plotting the average of %fat as obtained from skinfold-and BAI-measurements against the difference between data obtained by the use of the two methods shows that BIA %fat overestimates skinfold %fat at low or normal percent fat mass (that is, up to 20%) in both genders. By contrast, at increased fat mass, BIA %fat seems to underestimate skinfold %fat in both genders. CONCLUSIONS: Gender differences in fat mass and fat distribution are obvious in children aged 5 ± 7 y. These differences are independent of gender differences in body weight. However, the nutritional state has an in¯uence and gender differences cannot be detected in overweight and obese children. Our data also suggest that a childrenspeci®c formula used to calculate %fat from skinfold measurements is inappropriate.

We recorded blood and plasma mass density and hematocrit of antecubital venous blood in 12 subjects in the supine position before, during, and after 20-40 min of lower body subatmospheric pressure (LBNP) of -35 mmHg. Mass density values decreased during the first minutes of LBNP, indicating a transient 2.8% blood volume gain before they rose as expected. After LBNP, a pronounced further density increase, indicating a further 1.5% hemoconcentration, preceded the return toward control. This pattern suggests reflex-driven transient filtration effects. Computed mass density of fluid exchanged between blood and extravascular space was 1,007.2 +/- 4.4 milligrams (37.0 degrees C); mass density of erythrocytes remained unaltered. We conclude that sudden unloading of central pressure receptors with LBNP causes microvascular fluid gain preceding fluid loss (hemoconcentration) during LBNP, and receptor loading after LBNP additionally causes fluid loss preceding inward filtration (hemodilution) during recovery. These effects can be quantified with high-precision blood and plasma mass densitometry performed by the mechanical oscillator technique.

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Cardiac output was measured in 55 patients by the direct Fick method and an automatized thermodilution method. The results showed a good correlation (correlation factor r = 0.87, regression equation y = 0.91 x + 0.59). For the thermodilution method ice-cold normal saline solution as indicator substance was injected into the right atrium. The temperature-time-curve was measured by a thermistor located in the pulmonary artery. The area of indicator dilution was determined by electronic integration, the calculated cardiac output appeared as 1/min in digital display.

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