OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional status of 114 children aged 2 to 12.9 years with cerebral palsy. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included children treated at the gastropediatric, orthopedic and neuropediatric outpatient clinics of a tertiary university hospital. The studied anthropometric indicators were: weight, height, body mass index and mid-upper arm fat and muscle area. RESULTS: The rate of malnutrition (Z-score <-2) according to the anthropometric indicators for age, mean and standard deviation (SD) were: 50.9% for weight, with a mean of -2.19 (SD=2.48), 38.6% for height, mean: -1.66 (SD=1.50), 45.6% for body mass index, mean: -1.74 (SD=2.75), 29.8% for mid-upper arm muscle area, mean: -1.03 (SD=1.73) and 35.1% for mid-upper arm fat area, mean: -1.15 (SD=1.41). CONCLUSION: Malnutrition was common in children with cerebral palsy. The anthropometric indicators were worse in children with tetraparetic cerebral palsy: 72.4% and 73.1% of the children had Z-scores <-2 for weight and body mass index, respectively.
Nutritional assessment; Growth; Malnutrition; Cerebral palsy
