ESPEN 2021 Late Breaking Abstracts

Topic: Nutritional epidemiology

Abstract Submission Identifier: ESPEN21-LB-2014

AN EVALUATION OF EMOTIONAL STRESS AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF REFUGEE ORPHAN CHILDREN

E. Manisali^*, ¹, E. Erşahin ¹, F. Akdemir ¹, F. Çelik ¹

¹Nutrition and Dietetics, Biruni University, İstanbul, Türkiye

Rationale: This research aimed to determine the relationship between post-traumatic stress disorders and the nutritional status of refugee orphan children who are victims of war or migration.

Methods: For the research, the study consisted of 32 boys and 52 girls, aged 6-10 years, living in Istanbul who had to immigrate from Syria to Turkey. held with 84 asylum seekers and orphan participants in total. The demographic characteristics of the participants were recorded, the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) scale was applied for anthropometric measures of stress, and dietary records and anthropometric (weight, height, and upper-middle arm) measurements were taken to evaluate their nutritional status.

Results: In the food consumption record evaluation in the study, it was determined that the micronutrient intakes of the participants were insufficient, and on the other hand, the carbohydrate intake of 79% of the participants, the protein intake of 50%, and the fat intake of 55% of the participants were below the desired values. In addition, it was observed that 98.8% of the participants had low dietary fiber consumption. When the participants' anthropometric measurements z-scores were compared with their PTSD results, a statistically significant difference was found between the participants' stress status and BMI z-score according to age (p<0.05). On the other hand, it was observed that 39.3% of the participants were overweight or obese according to the BMI z-score for age. In addition, a statistically significant, very weak (p<0.05, r=-0.244) and negative correlation was found between the Z-score of weight for age and the result of PTSD.

Conclusion: Inadequate consumption of macro and micronutrients as a result of losses and traumas, inadequate nutrition or refusal to eat, inadequate dietary fiber, and high obesity as a result of empty-calorie intake will be factors that negatively affect the development of children. Considering all these problems, it is seen that improving the nutritional status of refugee and orphan children has an important place in the development of health.

References: Yayan, E. H., Düken, M. E., Özdemir, A. A., & Çelebioğlu, A. (2020). Mental health problems of Syrian refugee children: post-traumatic stress, depression and anxiety. Journal of pediatric nursing, 51, e27–e32.

Disclosure of Interest: None Declared

Keywords: nutritional assessment, orphan children, Pediatrics, refugees