Aim: Children requiring hospitalization are at risk of malnutrition. This study aimed to define the nutritional status of paediatric inpatients in comparison with healthy children and to compare and contrast the feasibility and validity of three nutritional risk screening (NRS) tools in the hospitalized children.Methods: A total of 162 children admitted to Christchurch Hospital were assessed along with a similar group of healthy children. Their nutritional state was assessed and classified using standard criteria. The NRS tools were applied, and patients were classified into low-, medium-and high-risk groups. The feasibility and validity of the tools were assessed.Results: Under-nutrition was more frequent in the inpatient group (9.9% vs. 3.7%; p = 0.04), whereas both groups had similar rates of overweight/obesity. NRS tools were able to identify between 81% and 100% of the malnourished patients in the medium-to high-risk groups. Undernourished patients had longer hospital stay than well-nourished patients.Conclusion: Hospitalized children have higher rates of under-nutrition than healthy children in NZ. The three NRS tools were able to identify children at nutritional risk with differing utility. In this setting, STRONGkids was the most reliable tool.Abbreviations NRS, nutritional risk screening; STRONGkids, screening tool for risk on nutritional status and growth; STAMP, screening tool for the assessment of malnutrition in paediatrics; PYMS, paediatric yorkhill malnutrition score. Key notesUp to 10% of children admitted to hospital in New Zealand are undernourished. NRS tools permit the identification of children at risk of nutritional deterioration. STRONGkids appeared to be the best tool in this setting.

Hospitalized Iranian children have higher rates of under-nutrition than healthy children from the same community. NRS tools were able to identify children at nutritional risk; however, variable utility was observed. Further assessment of NRS tools in the developing setting is required.

Fecal calprotectin levels in children with CF and HC were age-dependent and had distinct trajectories. Careful interpretation of calprotectin is required if used in drug trials for CF, particularly in children less than 4years old.

STRONGkids successfully recognised at-risk children, when applied by either nurses or a paediatrician. It was suitable and feasible for nursing staff to use it to screen for children at risk of nutritional deterioration.

The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic inflammatory processes affecting the gastrointestinal tract. When diagnosed in childhood and adolescence, IBD almost always impacts adversely upon the nutritional state of the patient. Weight loss and impaired linear growth may be present at diagnosis or subsequently. Further potential nutritional consequences in childhood IBD include malnutrition, anaemia, osteopaenia, and delayed puberty. Understanding the nutritional aspects of IBD is paramount in growing children, especially those entering and advancing through puberty. This paper focuses upon the nutritional impacts of IBD in children and adolescents.