Assessment of nutritional status of active handicapped individuals

Abstract 

The nutritional status of active handicapped individuals is described. Sixty male subjects, wheelchair basketball players, 20 to 40 years old, 32 of them have poliomyelitis sequels in the legs, and 28 have low spinal cord injury were analyzed. To assess the nutritional status, the following were considered: body composition by weight, stature, skin folders, and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry; bone mineral density (BMD) by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry; nutrient intake by 3-day to 24-hour food recall, analyzed for macronutrients and calcium; and fast blood glucose, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Multivariate analysis was applied throughout the parameters measured. A low-energy intake was observed when compared with the prediction, and calcium intake was below adequate intake. The BMD in the legs and fat-free mass were found to be low and fat mass to be high, when compared with reference studies. Blood parameters were within the reference range, except for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol which was below the expected values. No significant correlations were found between BMD and calcium intakes, and between fat intake and fat mass. It was concluded that these individuals could be considered at nutritional risk, and therefore special dietary interventions would be necessary.

Keywords: Nutritional assessment, Paraplegia, Physical activity