Nutrient Intake and Body Habitus After Spinal Cord Injury: An Analysis by Sex and Level of Injury

Abstract

Background/Objectives: To examine nutrient intake and body mass index (BMI) in the spinal cord injury (SCI) population according to level of injury and sex. Design: Cross-sectional study conducted at 2 SCI treatment centers. Participants/Methods: Seventy-three community-dwelling individuals with C5-T12 ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS) A or B SCI. Subjects were divided into 4 groups: male tetraplegia (N ¼ 24), male paraplegia (N ¼ 37), female tetraplegia (N ¼ 1), and female paraplegia (N ¼ 11). Mean age was 38 years; 84% were male; 34% were white, 41% were African American, and 25% were Hispanic. Participants completed a 4-day food log examining habitual diet. Dietary composition was analyzed using Food Processor II v 7.6 software. Results: Excluding the 1 woman with tetraplegia, total calorie intake for the other 3 groups was below observed values for the general population. The female paraplegia group tended to have a lower total calorie intake than the other groups, although macronutrient intake was within the recommended range. The male tetraplegia group, male paraplegia group, and the 1 woman with tetraplegia all had higher than recommended fat intake. Intake of several vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients did not meet recommended levels or were excessively low, whereas sodium and alcohol intake were elevated. Using adjusted BMI tables, 74.0% of individuals with SCI were overweight or obese. Conclusions: Women with paraplegia tended to maintain healthier diets, reflected by lower caloric and fat intakes, fewer key nutrients falling outside recommended guidelines, and less overweight or obesity. Individuals with tetraplegia tended to take in more calories and had higher BMIs, and using adjusted BMI, the majority of the population was overweight or obese. The majority of people with SCI would benefit from nutritional counseling to prevent emerging secondary conditions as the population with SCI ages.

Leisure-time physical activity and diet quality are not associated in people with chronic spinal cord injury

“…18 Both dietary fibre and calcium intakes have recently been found to be low in the SCI population. 19 Taken together, these results suggest that overall, communitydwelling adults with chronic SCI may be at increased risk for diet-related chronic conditions. There were no associations between physical activity and either overall adherence to CFG, or to most individual food groups of the Guide.…”

A report of anticipated benefits of functional electrical stimulation after spinal cord injury

“…[17][18][19][20][21][22] Another factor is the hesitancy of individuals with SCI to embrace the importance of starting a longterm lifestyle changes that result in significant adaptations such as reduction in fat mass and improvement in metabolic profile. 23,24 Others have shown that dietary control is an effective strategy for prevention of obesity among individuals with SCI. 23 However, many individuals with SCI rely on meals that are high in fat and low in protein.…”

Adiposity and spinal cord injury

“…We should acknowledge that persons with SCI consume close to 40% of their dietary intake as fat; which is likely to be a major source of the continuous and longitudinal changes in body FM [9,28] . This is accompanied with low consumption (less than 20%) of dietary protein intake [9,47] . Dietary intake can be manipulated to enable more effective utilization of macronutrients [47] .…”

“…This is accompanied with low consumption (less than 20%) of dietary protein intake [9,47] . Dietary intake can be manipulated to enable more effective utilization of macronutrients [47] . The American diet is especially prone to consume excessive carbohydrates and fats which alter blood glucose levels and increase adipose tissue if not expended.…”