Article Text
Abstract
Low body mass index (BMI) is a common feature for both: Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). At the turn of the 21st century, numerous reports demonstrated, that the percentage of overweight children, including children with inflammatory bowel disease, continues to increase. The aim of this study was to compare weight, height and BMI of children with newly diagnosed UC and CD in south-eastern Poland with national normative data.
Material and Methods 72 children (mean age 12±3,7 years) with newly diagnosed UC (n = 57) and CD (n = 15) were included into the analysis. All children were diagnosed in The Pediatric Endoscopy Unit in Rzeszów, between January 1998 and December 2007. Weight and height were measured on admission and BMI was calculated. The results were compared with growth charts elaborated by Institute of Mother and Child Health in Warsaw in 1997.
Results Very low (⩽3 centile) and low (3,1–10 centile) BMI was stated in 12 (16,6%) and 13 (18,1%) children respectively. Only 2 patients had BMI >90 centile. In most children (62,5%) BMI felt into the reference range (10–90 centile). Very low BMI was found to be more common in the CD group (33,3%) than in children with UC (12,3%).
Conclusions 1. Most children with newly diagnosed UC and CD had BMI in the normative range. 2. Malnutrition was more common in children with CD than in UC group. 3. Marked predominance of children with UC in the investigated group may suggest that CD in children is underdiagnosed in our region.