title: Comparison of nutritional intake between individuals with acute and chronic spinal cord injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the nutritional intake of patients with acute and chronic spinal cord injury (SCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Spinal cord unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve in-house patients of a spinal cord unit with acute SCI and paralysis duration of 5.3 ± 2.5 months (acute group) were compared with 12 subjects with chronic SCI (chronic group) with lesion duration of 55.5 ± 21.0 months. All subjects recorded their nutritional intake for 7 days, which was analyzed for intake of energy, proteins, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, mineral nutrients, fluid, and dietary fiber. Resting energy expenditure (REE) and total body fat were also determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The chronic group showed a significantly higher total body fat content compared to the acute group (19.4 ± 3.8 vs. 15.7 ± 4.3%). All other parameters were not significantly different between groups. Both groups ingested excessive fat and insufficient amounts of carbohydrates compared with common nutritional recommendations. Low intakes of vitamins C, D, E, biotin, folic acid, as well as potassium and iron were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No differences were found in the nutritional intakes of two comparable groups of subjects with acute and chronic SCI. Independent of lesion duration, subjects with SCI showed considerable deviations from the general accepted nutritional recommendations concerning macro- and micronutrients intake. Professional nutritional education for persons with SCI should start as soon as possible after injury to prevent nutrition-related secondary complications like cardiovascular diseases. Periodic determinations of body fat content and REE combined with a physical activity program might be helpful as well.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sports Medicine, Nottwil, Switzerland. Claudio.perret@paranet.ch
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perret
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stoffel-Kurt
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D019370:Observation; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000451:nursing*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018977:Micronutrients