The authors conclude that endomorphy and the first component of Heath and Carter's anthropometric method reflect body fatness to a considerable degree, but that little association between lean body mass and mesomorphy or the second component exists in children. (Author)

Concern about the body fat of children and its relation to adult obesity has led to the development of standards for assessing children's optimal body fat content. The use of skinfold thickness measures to establish the degree of fatness is described. (MT)

Identification and treatment of obesity in children is believed to be an important factor in its control during the adult years. Laboratory and field methods for body composition measurement are described along with estimates of body fat content from anthropometric dimensions. (CJ)