ASSESSMENT OF BODY COMPOSITION IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN
Keywords:
Body composition, preschool age, differencesAbstract
Differences in body composition typically begin to appear around the age of three. It is during this period that children experience various growth spurts and developmental changes that can impact body composition. The research was conducted at the preschool institution "Čika Jova Zmaj" in Bijeljina, using empirical and statistical methods, and was a cross-sectional study in terms of duration. Body composition analysis was performed using the Tanita TBF 300 bioelectrical impedance on 130 six-year-old participants. The study included 70 girls and 60 boys. Analyzing the results related to differences in body composition in preschool children at both univariate and multivariate levels between boys and girls, based on Wilks' Lambda and the F-test, a statistically significant F ratio (8.859) was observed at the strictest significance level p < 0.01, specifically P = 0.000. The differences obtained in this study can be explained by biological, hormonal, and genetic factors, as well as social influences. To ensure a healthy body composition in preschool children, several key factors need to be considered, including: regular physical activity, a balanced diet, control of multimedia content such as phones, TV, and computers, and parental involvement.
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