Total body water expressed as a percentage of body weight is highest in which group?
- A Adult obese male
- B Full-term newborn ✓
- C Adult lean female
- D Elderly man
Correct answer: B. Full-term newborn
Explanation
A full-term newborn has total body water of approximately 75 to 80 percent of body weight, falling to adult values of about 60 percent in men over the first year of life. Fat contains little water, so obesity lowers the percentage, women have lower values than men due to higher adiposity, and aging further reduces body water. This is why infants develop dehydration faster.
Reference: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 21st ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.