Evaluation of the nutritional state in children with Down's syndrome according to different antropometric methods

Abstract

Background: In Chile there is not a criteria for assessing the nutritional status of children with Down's syndrome (DS).

Objective: To analyze the nutritional status of children with DS based on 2 specially designed growth charts (USA, Spain) and its comparison with the chart used in the infant population. 

Methods: The degree of agreement of the diagnosis given by weight/age (W/A), height/age (H/A) and body mass index (BMI) among the growth charts were determined in 116 children with DS, aged between 3 months and 18 years. Chi squared and kappa index were used for the statistical analysis. 

Results: A low agreement of the observed distributions among the growth charts was obtained. Regarding W/A and H/A the spanish growth chart showed the most symetrical distribution. BMI was displaced towards overweight values. 

Conclusions: The spanish curve seems to have the best discriminatory capacity for both deficent and excess values, it is necessary to validate the diagnoses obtained using the charts with determinations of body composition.