Body mass index in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy: A cohort study

Abstract

Aim Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have reduced levels of physical activity compared with children without physical disability and experience risk factors for becoming overweight or obese. In the Australian CP population, there is little information available about the weight status of children with CP. The aims of this study were to compare the distribution of body mass index (BMI) in a cohort of ambulant children with CP with the BMI distribution of Australian children and explore the relationship between BMI and gross motor function. Methods A retrospective cohort study of 587 children with CP Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I-III who attended a Gait Laborator..