Excess body weight in children may increase the length of hospital stay

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of excess body weight in the pediatric ward of University Hospital and to test both the association between initial nutritional diagnosis and the length of stay and the in-hospital variation in nutritional status. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study based on information entered in clinical records from University Hospital. The data were collected from a convenience sample of 91 cases among children aged one to 10 years admitted to the hospital in 2009. The data that characterize the sample are presented in a descriptive manner. Additionally, we performed a multivariate linear regression analysis adjusted for age and gender. RESULTS: Nutritional classification at baseline showed that 87.8% of the children had a normal weight and that 8.9% had excess weight. The linear regression models showed that the average weight loss z-score of the children with excess weight compared with the group with normal weight was −0.48 (p = 0.018) and that their length of stay was 2.37 days longer on average compared with that of the normal-weight group (p = 0.047). CONCLUSIONS: The length of stay and loss of weight at the hospital may be greater among children with excess weight than among children with normal weight. .

Percepção materna e autopercepção nutricional de crianças e adolescentes atendidos no pronto atendimento de um hospital escola / Maternal perception and self-nutritional perception of children and adolescents treated at the emergency room of a teaching hospital

Introdução: Este estudo trata da percepção materna sobre o estado nutricional do filho e da autopercepção do estado nutricional de crianças e adolescentes. Há evidências de que as mães apresentam dificuldade em reconhecer adequadamente o estado nutricional do filho, especialmente nos casos de excesso de peso. Crianças e adolescentes também não percebem adequadamente o próprio estado nutricional. A prevenção do excesso de peso, bem como de transtornos alimentares, requer percepção precoce e adequada abordagem dessas condições. A não percepção do real estado nutricional de crianças e adolescentes por suas mães e por elas mesmas representa um importante obstáculo para a busca de assistência profissional. São poucos os estudos que abordam esta temática na no país. Objetivos Principais: Descrever a adequação do reconhecimento do estado nutricional de crianças e adolescentes por eles mesmos e por seus cuidadores principais. Objetivos Secundários: Analisar fatores que interfiram na percepção do estado nutricional das crianças e adolescentes por eles mesmos e por seus cuidadores. Método: estudo transversal analítico realizado no pronto atendimento do Hospital Universitário da Universidade de São Paulo de março de 2009 a abril de 2010. Foram incluídas 1.001 crianças de dois a 14 anos e seu cuidador principal. Foi aplicado questionário que avaliou, através de descritores verbais, a autopercepção nutricional da criança ou adolescente e a percepção materna sobre o estado nutricional do filho. As crianças e seus cuidadores principais tiveram peso e estatura aferidos. Foi analisada a concordância entre o estado nutricional real da criança e as classificações mencionadas pela mãe e pela própria criança ou adolescente através do coeficiente Kappa. Foram avaliados, através de análise multivariada, fatores associados a erro na autopercepção e percepção materna sobre o estado nutricional da criança ou adolescente. Resultados: A concordância entre a percepção materna e da...

Introduction: This study aimed to determine maternal perception regarding the nutritional status of her child and the self-nutritional perception status of children and adolescents. There is evidence that mothers have difficulty in properly recognizing the nutritional status of their children, especially overweight cases. Children and adolescents also do not accurately perceive their own nutritional status. Prevention of overweight and eating disorders requires early and adequate perception of these conditions. The perception failure of the actual nutritional status of children and adolescents by their mothers and themselves is a major barrier to seeking professional assistance. Few studies have addressed this issue in Brazil . Main Objectives: To determine the appropriateness of the recognition of nutritional status of children and adolescents by themselves and their primary caregivers. Secondary Objectives: To analyze factors affecting the perception of the nutritional status of children and adolescents by themselves and their caregivers. Method: A cross-sectional analytical study conducted in the emergency room of the University Hospital of the University of São Paulo from March 2009 to April 2010. We included 1,001 children aged 2-14 years and their primary caregiver. A questionnaire that evaluated self-nutritional perception of the child or adolescent and maternal perception about the nutritional status of her child through verbal descriptors was administered. The weight and height of children and their primary caregivers were measured. The correlation between the actual nutritional status of children and the classifications mentioned by the mother and by the child or adolescent were analyzed using the Kappa coefficient. Factors associated with incorrect self-perception and maternal perception of the nutritional status of children and adolescents were assessed by multivariate analysis. Results: The correlation between maternal perception and nutritional...