Relationship of nutritional status to health and societal participation in children with cerebral palsy.
OBJECTIVE
To describe nutritional status in a population-based sample of children with moderate or severe cerebral palsy (CP) and to explore the relationships between nutritional status and health and functional outcomes.


METHODS
A population-based strategy was used to enroll children with CP at 6 geographic sites. Research assistants performed anthropometric assessment, determined severity of motor impairment, and interviewed caregivers with the Child Health Questionnaire and a questionnaire designed specifically for this study. Anthropometric measures were converted to Z scores and the relationship between health and nutritional status was assessed using regression models.


RESULTS
Among the 235 participants, indicators of malnutrition were common. Poor nutritional status correlated with increased health care utilization (hospitalizations, doctor visits) and decreased participation in usual activities by the child and parent.


CONCLUSIONS
Malnutrition is common in children with moderate or severe CP and associated with poorer health status and limitations in societal participation. Further studies are needed to determine the nature of these associations and how to manage nutrition in children with CP to optimize growth and health outcomes.
Samson-Fang
Lisa
L
University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA.
Fung
Ellen
E
Stallings
Virginia A
VA
Conaway
Mark
M
Worley
Gordon
G
Rosenbaum
Peter
P
Calvert
Randy
R
O'donnell
Maureen
M
Henderson
Richard C
RC
Chumlea
W Cameron
WC
Liptak
Gregory S
GS
Stevenson
Richard D
RD
D000041:Absenteeism; D000886:Anthropometry; D002547:Cerebral Palsy; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011788:Quality of Life; D013334:Students