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Prevalence of malnutrition, obesity and nutritional risk of A ustralian paediatric inpatients: A national one‐day snapshot
Author(s) -
White Melinda,
Dennis Nicole,
Ramsey Rebecca,
Barwick Katie,
Graham Christie,
Kane Sarah,
Kepreotes Helen,
Queit Leah,
Sweeney Annabel,
Winderlich Jacinta,
Wong See Denise,
Littlewood Robyn
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/jpc.12709
Subject(s) - medicine , snapshot (computer storage) , malnutrition , obesity , environmental health , pediatrics , intensive care medicine , computer science , operating system
Aim Low prevalence rates of malnutrition at 2.5% to 4% have previously been reported in two tertiary paediatric A ustralian hospitals. The current study is the first to measure the prevalence of malnutrition, obesity and nutritional risk of paediatric inpatients in multiple hospitals throughout A ustralia. Methods Malnutrition, obesity and nutritional risk prevalence were investigated in 832 and 570 paediatric inpatients, respectively, in eight tertiary paediatric hospitals and eight regional hospitals across A ustralia on a single day. Malnutrition and obesity prevalence was determined using z ‐scores and body mass index ( BMI ) percentiles. High nutritional risk was determined as a P aediatric Y orkhill M alnutrition S core of 2 or more. Results The prevalence rates of malnourished, wasted, stunted, overweight and obese paediatric patients were 15%, 13.8%, 11.9%, 8.8% and 9.9%, respectively. Patients who identified as A boriginal and T orres S trait I slander were more likely to have lower height‐for‐age z ‐scores ( P < 0.01); however, BMI and weight‐for‐age z ‐scores were not significantly different. Children who were younger, from regional hospitals or with a primary diagnosis of cardiac disease or cystic fibrosis had significantly lower anthropometric z ‐scores ( P = 0.05). Forty‐four per cent of patients were identified as at high nutritional risk and requiring further nutritional assessment. Conclusions The prevalence of malnutrition and nutritional risk of A ustralian paediatric inpatients on a given day was much higher when compared with the healthy population. In contrast, the proportion of overweight and obese patients was less.