Eating and drinking ability and nutritional status in adults with cerebral palsy.
Anita McAllister, Eva Sjöstrand, Elisabet Rodby-Bousquet
PMID 35229295WHAT IT FOUND
Nearly a third of adults with cerebral palsy have eating and drinking difficulties.
Those needing help at meals weighed significantly less, even after adjusting for motor function. Low body weight is linked to mealtime dependence, not just physical disability.
Key findings
0132.4% of adults with cerebral palsy were classified as having dysphagia (limited safety when eating and drinking).
02Being totally dependent on others for eating was associated with a 6.3kg lower body weight compared to eating independently, even after adjusting for other factors.
03Overweight and obesity were more common in adults who ate safely and efficiently (EDACS levels I and II) compared to those with safety limitations.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study is cross-sectional, so it shows association but cannot prove that eating difficulties cause weight loss. Data comes from a Swedish registry, which may not represent the global adult CP population or those without access to specialist teams. The median age was low (26 years), which may skew results regarding age-related decline in swallowing function. EDACS does not detect silent aspiration, so the prevalence of dysphagia may be underestimated. BMI and skinfold thickness are imperfect measures of body composition in people with cerebral palsy.
Declared interests
None reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that low body weight in adults with cerebral palsy is solely due to their motor impairment level. This study found that mealtime dependence and eating safety issues were significant predictors of lower weight even after adjusting for gross motor function. Ignoring eating and drinking ability may miss a key driver of nutritional risk.