BackgroundNutrition related problems are increasing worldwide but they have scarcely been evaluated in people with neuromotor disabilities, particularly in developing countries. In this study our aim was to describe the weight-based nutritional diagnoses of children and adolescents with neuromotor disabilities who attended a private rehabilitation center in Mexico City.MethodsData from the first visit’s clinical records of 410 patients who attended the Nutrition department at the Teleton Center for Children Rehabilitation, between 1999 and 2008, were analyzed. Sex, age, weight and height, length or segmental length data were collected and used to obtain the nutritional diagnosis based on international growth charts, as well as disability-specific charts. Weight for height was considered the main indicator.ResultsCerebral palsy was the most frequent diagnosis, followed by spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, and Down’s syndrome. Children with cerebral palsy showed a higher risk of presenting low weight/undernutrition (LW/UN) than children with other disabilities, which was three times higher in females. In contrast, children with spina bifida, particularly males, were more likely to be overweight/obese (OW/OB), especially after the age of 6 and even more after 11. Patients with muscular dystrophy showed a significantly lower risk of LW/UN than patients with other disabilities. In patients with Down’s syndrome neither LW/UN nor OW/OB were different between age and sex.ConclusionsThis is the first study that provides evidence of the nutritional situation of children and adolescents with neuromotor disabilities in Mexico, based on their weight status. Low weight and obesity affect a large number of these patients due to their disability, age and sex. Early nutritional diagnosis must be considered an essential component in the treatment of these patients to prevent obesity and malnutrition, and improve their quality of life.
The Nutrition Clinic at the Universidad Iberoamericana offers its services to the members of the university community who request it. The aim of this project was to describe the baseline anthropometric characteristics of 1238 patients that attended the clinic during the last 8 years. The media age was 31.7 ±14–71 years, 73.3% were women. BMI pattern was significantly different by sex: 5% of the women were undernourished, 45% overweight or obese, while 65% of males had a BMI above 25. There was an effect of instruction, 85% of the subjects with basic education (6 to 9 years) were overweight or obese, while only 15% had a normal BMI; the waist circumference average was 100.2 cm and had 37.6% of body fat. In contrast (p<0.000), subjects with 16 to 20 years of instruction, were thinner, 2% under‐nourished and 52.4% overweight or obese, with an average waist circumference of 91.9 cm and body fat percentage of 29.8. Considering working activity, there was a significant difference in overweight or obesity among academics, administrative workers, students and maintenance personnel (59.0%, 68.9%, 33.6% and 82.8%, respectively; p<0.000). 55.5% of the population did not exercise (men 35.1%). This work shows the necessity of developing a special project aimed to achieve a better lifestyle of the college community by improving their nutritional status and, according to their different educational level.
The aim of the project was to evaluate the correlation between self‐perceived risk for osteoporosis and the actual fracture risk in an adult mexican sample. Prevalence of risk factors for osteoporosis and self‐perception risk were explored. Real osteoporosis risk was assessed with PIXI DXA scan of the heel. 171 people were studied (women:86%, mean age:54). Overweight/obese subjects were 76.7% of total women and 72.7% of men. Only 62% of participants reported they have received information about osteoporosis. Results about risk information showed that individuals do not recognize which conditions increase their risk for osteoporosis. The best recognized risk factors were postmenopause and smoking with a prevalence of 70.3% and 68.3%. There were no associations between risk factor information or self‐perceived risk with bone measures. In this sample, bone health was not associated with osteoporosis risk information or auto‐perceived osteoporosis risk. Results suggest that Mexican population do not have the basic information about osteoporosis prevention and may be falling into risk behavior.
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