Background Nutritional deficiency is the major clinical sign reported in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), being a consequence of the pancreatic exocrine insufficiency and increased energy requirement. The frequency of poor nutritional status is reported differently in the literature: for developed countries with neonatal screening programmes, children with CF present malnutrition in 6%–14% cases; in countries with late-age diagnosis, malnutrition is diagnosed in 32%–57% of CF patients.

Aim The aim of the present study was to evaluate the nutritional status of children with CF from the Republic of Moldova. Patients were divided into four age groups: children up to 2 years, aged 2 to 5 years, 5–10 years, and 10 to 18 years of age.

Methods Body mass index (BMI) was measured in 42 children with CF to represent nutritional status and expressed as a Z-score.

Results BMI Z-score showed a value of −1.23±0.16 and had a similar trend in all age groups of our study. Z score value in CF patients younger than 2 years of age was significantly reduced (−1.49±0.31), but comparable with BMI Z-score in children older than 10 years (−1.56±0.33). Children with CF, aged 2–5 years and older than 5 years, presented a BMI Z score of −0.69±0.16 and −0.93±0.31, respectively, translating a good age-appropriate nutrition, but with risk for malnutrition.

Weight deficit was estimated in 53.33% children included in the study. Malnutrition rate was very high in young children with CF (0–2 years) counting for 68.75% of cases. In this group 66.66% of children were primary diagnosed and the most common sign for suspecting CF was poor nutritional status. Children from other age groups reflected a similar frequency of malnutrition: 60.0%, 55.55% and 66.67% cases.

Conclusions Malnutrition was assessed in 53.33% children with CF from the Republic of Moldova with a small variation between different age groups. Poor nutritional status was identified in very young children (0–2 years) at the moment of diagnosis and in children older than 10 years, who associated lung pathology.