Nutritional evolution of hospitalized children who were under nutritional orientation

• Main Author: de OLIVEIRA, Ana Flávia
• Publication Date: 2023
• Other Authors: Ceragioli OLIVEIRA, Fernanda Luísa, JULIANO, Yara, ANCONA-LOPEZ, Fábio
• Format: Article
• Language: por
• Source: Revista de Nutrição
• Download full: https://periodicos.puc-campinas.edu.br/nutricao/article/view/9835
• topic: child; dietotherapy; nutritional state; hospitalization; criança; dietoterapia; estado nutricional; hospitalização

ObjectiveThis study aimed at evaluating the nutritional evolution of hospitalized children with infectious diseases, whowere put under nutritional orientation.MethodsEvaluate the effect of therapeutic nutritional orientation on 125 children between 6 and 36 months of age,who were admitted at the Pediatric Infectology Ward of the Hospital São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil, betweenMarch 2001 and December 2002. The evaluations of nutritional status and energetic intake were based ondata obtained from inquiry-forms on feeding-patterns and anthropometric measurements.ResultsOf the children being evaluated, 53,6% (67) were male. The mean age was 17 months, and the average periodspent in the hospital was 10 days. At admission, 24,8% (31) of the children were undernourished and 10,0%(23) were overweight or obese. The diagnosis of acute diseases affected 69,6% (87) of the children. Nutritionalsupport was provided for 21.6% (27) of the children, out of which, 81.5% (22) received nutritional supportorally. The undernourished group presented a significant improvement of the Z-score of Weight overHeight – Z W/H (p=0.001); the eutrophic group had no significant change of the Z-score Weight over Height(p=0.651), and the group overweight/obese showed a significant reduction of the Z-score Weight over Height(p=0.026). No significant associations were found between nutritional support therapy and improvement ofthe nutritional status (p=0.37). The children who had an energy intake higher than the one recommended fortheir age, had a significant improvement of the Z-score Weight over Height (p<0.001).ConclusionThe children followed up in this study had their nutritional condition significantly improved, making it evidentthat nutritional orientation, or diet therapy, can improve the treatment of hospitalized children