The findings of a cross-sectional study published in "Scientific Reports" indicated that pediatric patients diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) exhibit a correlation between nutritional status and factors such as disease duration and clinical presentation at the time of diagnosis.

This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional status of IBD patients through anthropometric measurements and investigate correlations with disease duration and relevant clinical features.

Data of 41 pediatrics diagnosed with Crohn's disease (CD) and 29 diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC), with a mean age of 13.1 years (range: 5.2–18.0 years), within the first three months from diagnosis were analyzed. Anthropometric measurements, including body height, mid-upper arm muscle circumference, body mass index (BMI), body weight, and three skinfold thicknesses were adjusted for age and gender utilizing national standards.

The analysis explored associations between anthropometric measurements and disease duration, disease location, symptoms, and blood test results. Both examined groups demonstrated notably lower BMI levels in comparison to the reference population. However, it was observed that children with CD displayed notably poorer nutritional status based on arm anthropometry.

In the context of CD, improved nutritional status was primarily linked to extended disease duration and, to a lesser degree, perianal disease, extraintestinal manifestations, and small intestinal lesions. Conversely, in UC, poor nutritional status was associated only with anemia diagnosed at the outset. These findings indicate that the nutritional status in pediatrics is associated with the duration of the disease and the clinical picture.