Assessment of nutritional status and eating disorders in female adolescents with fibromyalgia.
OBJECTIVE
To assess eating disorders, nutritional status, body composition, and food intake in adolescents presenting with fibromyalgia.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional study, we evaluated the nutritional status (z score of body mass index [ZBMI]), waist circumference, body fat percentage by bioelectrical impedance analysis, symptoms of disordered eating, and possible eating disorders (Kids' Eating Disorders Survey [KEDS]) of 23 female adolescents with fibromyalgia and 23 matched healthy control subjects.


RESULTS
Median age for both groups was 15 years. In the fibromyalgia group, the median time for diagnosis was 13.5 months. We did not observe a statistically significant difference between the control and fibromyalgia groups in relation to ZBMI, fat mass percentage, food intake, and symptoms of disordered eating (KEDS). In the fibromyalgia group, there was a significant correlation between fat mass percentage and the total KEDS score (r = .587, p = .003); the same correlation was observed for ZBMI (r = .0778, p < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
This study verified an absence of nutritional and eating disorders in adolescents recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia that, in addition to the correlation between adiposity indexes and KEDS total score, emphasizes the importance of nutritional and body composition assessment, allowing an early and adequate nutritional intervention.
Pediatric Rheumatology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil.
Simone Guerra L
SG
da Silva
Roseli O S
RO
Sarni
Fabíola I S
FI
de Souza
Juliana
J
Molina
Maria Teresa R A
MT
Terreri
Maria Odete E
MO
Hilário
Claudio A
CA
Len
D050154:Adiposity; D000293:Adolescent; D001823:Body Composition; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004435:Eating; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D009752:Nutritional Status