Assessment of nutritional status and characteristics of dietary patterns in a group of pediatric patients

Abstract

Impaired nutritional status as well as imbalance between dietary requirements and intake may negatively influence child’s growth, development and treatment’s response. This observational study was conducted between July 2021 and March 2022 on 63 pediatric patients, aged 5-18 years old, hospitalized in Târgu-Mureş. The aim of the stu­dy was to evaluate the impact of dietary patterns on nu­tri­tio­nal status. Body composition was assessed by using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Aspects of die­tary pat­terns and patient history were evaluated by a structured ques­tion­naire. The patients were divided into two groups ac­cording to their Body Mass Index: obese/over­weight children – Group 1, and patients with normal weight – Group 2. As for dietary patterns, there were several sta­tis­ti­cally significant differences between the groups. Normal weight children had a higher intake of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, while overweight patients consumed fats, red meat and sweetened beverages more frequently. The in­take of fish, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds was the lowest. The majority of children mentioned that their pre­ferred snacks were fruits but also sweets, while nuts and seeds were consumed mainly by normal weight children. Signs that could suggest emotional eating were more frequent among overweight patients. The results suggest that complex nutritional assessment could be a useful tool in patient’s management by improving the nutritional status of pediatric patients.