The prevalence of childhood and adolescent obesity is increasing. Physical Education programs in public schools is one setting in which regular physical activity will help curb the obesity epidemic. Body composition is one component of a complete fitness assessment of school aged children. Historically, skinfold measurements have been used to predict percent body fat in school aged children. Recently, bioelectrical impedance devices installed in Kiosks have been deployed in hundreds of schools across the United States as part of the National School Fitness Foundation LIFT America program. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of bioelectrical impedance devices installed in Kiosks in 240 Junior High and High School aged children and adolescents. METHODS: Body composition of 240 children and adolescents between the ages of 12 to 17 years was assessed using the sum of two (tricep and calf) skinfolds and a bioelectrical impedance device installed in a Kiosk. Percent body fat values obtained from skinfolds and the Kiosk were compared to results from DEXA scans. The assessments were repeated on a subset of the participants to determine the reliability of each method. RESULTS: At the time of this writing, data has been collected on a sample of 50 participants. Height and weight ranged from 146 to 183 cm and 36.4 to 80 kg respectively. Body mass index ranged from 14.4 to 28.32 kg/m2. This initial sample of participants represent a broad range of body sizes. A family wise p value of .05 was maintained in the statistical analysis. The group percent body fat (mean ± SD) determined by the DEXA was 19.68 ± 8.04. The percent body fat from the sum of two skinfolds (21.21 ± 8.16) was not significantly different (R2 = .90, SEE = 2.57, p<.0001 ) from the results obtained from the DEXA. The percent body fat determined from the Kiosk (17.81 ± 6.99) was significantly (R2 = 0.48, SEE = 5.84, p=0.038) less than the results obtained from DEXA scans. All three methods of assessing body composition were highly reliable. CONCLUSIONS: Based on this initial sample of participants, the Kiosk which is installed in hundreds of public schools across the United States underestimates body composition of school aged children and adolescents and needs further validation. Skinfold measurements remain a valid alternative to assessing body composition.Keyword(s): research