Dietary practices in Saudi cerebral palsy children

ABSTRACT

To determine the dietary practices of Saudi cerebral palsy [CP] children. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the following information from parents of CP children demographics, main source of dietary information, frequency of main meals, foods/drinks used for main meals and in-between-meals. Parents of 157 CP children participated. Parents were divided into three, while children were divided into two age groups. The main sources of dietary information included popular media [46.5%] and dentist [36.3%]. Most of the children had three meals [71.3%] or two meals [24.8%] daily. Choices for main meals included meats [68.8%], vegetables [65.6%], fruits [28.4%] and puddings [38.9%]. The main three drinks choices with main meals included packed juices [59.9%], bottled water [58.8%] and fresh fruit juices [33.1%]. The choices for in-between meals snacks included biscuits [61.1%], potato chips [51.6%], fruits [43.9%] and chocolates [41.4%]. The choice of drinks with snacks was similar to that used with main meals. In cross-tabulation, older parents used meat [p=.03] and soft drinks [p=.04] more often for their children's main meals. Older children were given meat [p=.004] and soft drinks [p=.04] more often with main meals. Older children were given potato chips as snacks more often than younger children [p=.02], and there was a trend towards use of chocolates as snacks in older children [p=.08]. Parents of CP children need to be educated about dietary practices of their children especially in areas such as the use of packed juices, dairy products, soft drinks and chocolates