Abstract
Background: We aimed to estimate the burden and underlying risk factors of malnutrition among children and adolescents with cerebral palsy in Arabic-speaking countries. Methods: OVID Medline, OVID Embase, CINAHL via EBSCO, Cochrane Library, and SCOPUS databases were searched up to 3 July 2021. Publications were reviewed to identify relevant papers following pre-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria. Two reviewers independently assessed the studies for inclusion. Data extraction was independently completed by two reviewers. Descriptive and pooled analysis has been reported. Results: From a total of 79 records screened, nine full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, of which seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Study characteristics, anthropometric measurements used, and nutritional outcome reported varied between the studies. The included studies contained data of total 400 participants aged 1–18 years. Overall, (mean: 71.46%, 95% confidence interval: 55.52–85.04) of children with cerebral palsy had at least one form of malnutrition. Severe gross motor function limitation, feeding difficulties, cognitive impairment and inadequate energy intake were the commonly reported underlying risk factors for malnutrition among children with cerebral palsy. Conclusions: The burden of malnutrition is high among children with cerebral palsy in Arabic-speaking countries. More research is needed for better understanding of this public health issue in these countries.
Highlights
Cerebral palsy (CP) is considered as one of the leading causes of motor disability among children and adolescents [1]
Malnutrition can be seen as a secondary health issue that can impact on the overall health and well-being of children with CP and their families [3]
Because of the dearth of knowledge regarding the nutritional status of children with CP from Arabic-speaking countries (ASCs), and to advance the global knowledge base on this crucial issue, we aimed to estimate the burden and underlying risk factors of malnutrition among children and adolescents with CP in the ASCs based on available published literature, to facilitate evidence-based medicine
Summary
Cerebral palsy (CP) is considered as one of the leading causes of motor disability among children and adolescents [1]. Malnutrition can be seen as a secondary health issue that can impact on the overall health and well-being of children with CP and their families [3]. It occurs when food intake falls short of the requirements for normal body functions, causing growth and development problems [4]. We aimed to estimate the burden and underlying risk factors of malnutrition among children and adolescents with cerebral palsy in Arabic-speaking countries. Severe gross motor function limitation, feeding difficulties, cognitive impairment and inadequate energy intake were the commonly reported underlying risk factors for malnutrition among children with cerebral palsy. More research is needed for better understanding of this public health issue in these countries
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