Nutritional quality and osmolality of home-made enteral diets, and follow-up of growth of severely disabled children receiving home enteral nutrition therapy

Abstract

This study evaluated the nutritional quality of home-made enteral diets and their effect on growth parameters. Thirty pediatric patients receiving only homemade enteral diets were enrolled. Samples of milk-based (MB) and soup-based (SP) feeds were taken for chemical analises. The chidren's anthropometric indexes were assessed. In the MB, the measured values for the macronutrients and energy corresponded to approximately 70% of the prescribed values. Conversely, the SP measured values corresponded to less than 50% of the prescribed values, except for carbohydrate. The prevalence of underweight was 30% (9/30) at the time of entry into home nutritional therapy and declined to 20% (6/30) at the time of the study (p=0.007). Stunting increased throughout the follow up, from 30% (9/30) to 53% (16/30; p=0.511). Obesity prevalence fell from 17% (4/23) to 9% (2/23; p<0.001). Despite their inconsistent levels of macronutrients and energy, home-made enteral diets had no negative effect on the patients' weights. © The Author [2009]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org.