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Growth Parameters and Prevalence of Obesity in PKU Patients and Peers: Is This the Right Comparison?

Giulia Paterno1, Vito Di Tullio1, Rosa Carella1

  • 1Department of Metabolic Diseases, Clinical Genetics and Diabetology, Giovanni XXIII Children Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Consorziale, 70126 Bari, Italy.

Pediatric Reports
|October 25, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Phenylketonuria (PKU) management aims to optimize growth on a restricted protein diet. This study found PKU children have normal BMI z-scores, comparable to peers, but nutritional risks persist.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Metabolic Disorders
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Phenylketonuria (PKU) management requires protein restriction to optimize growth.
  • Limited long-term growth data exists for PKU children on these diets.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess long-term growth trends in PKU children.
  • To compare auxological parameters between PKU children and healthy peers.

Main Methods:

  • A twelve-year longitudinal study included 34 PKU children and 37 controls.
  • Auxological parameters were measured at 7 time-points.
  • Weight-for-length ratio (WLR) and BMI z-scores were analyzed; overweight/obesity prevalence was assessed.

Main Results:

  • PKU children exhibited normal median BMI z-scores, not significantly different from controls.
  • BMI z-score distributions in PKU children were wider, exceeding normal ranges after 12 months.
  • Overweight prevalence was similar between groups (29% vs. 25%); obesity was only in controls.

Conclusions:

  • Median BMI z-scores and obesity prevalence at 12 years were comparable between PKU children and controls.
  • Wider BMI z-score distributions in PKU children suggest potential nutritional risks.
  • The high prevalence of overweight in the general population may mask specific risks in PKU patients.
Abstract

Keywords:
body mass indexgrowthobesityoverweightphenylketonuria

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