Whelan, JoAnne L.Armstrong, Cheryl L. H.Schroyer, RebeccaO'Neil, Joseph2024-09-232024-09-232023Whelan, J. L., Armstrong, C. L. H., Schroyer, R., & O’Neil, J. (2023). Parent/caregiver’s role in nutrition, physical activity, and food access among children diagnosed with spina bifida. Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, 16(4), 639–647. https://doi.org/10.3233/PRM-230016https://hdl.handle.net/1805/43531PURPOSE: This pilot study aimed to determine the parent/caregiver’s role in nutrition/eating habits, physical activity behaviors, and food access among children diagnosed with spina bifida (SB). METHODS: Parents/caregivers of children with SB were asked to participate at a single, outpatient SB clinic. Demographic, biomedical data, parent/caregiver nutrition knowledge, family nutrition and physical activity (FNPA), and food security survey scores were compared. Descriptive, regression, and correlational statistics were conducted for analysis via SPSS 29. RESULTS: Of the 117 parents/caregivers surveyed, completed data suggested most were overweight/obese (average body mass index [BMI] of 30.63 kg/m2±8.40; n = 99) with an average nutrition knowledge score of 71% (17.83±3.33). As FNPA scores decreased, the patient/child’s maximum BMI z scores increased (β= –0.043; confidence interval –0.079, –0.007; p = 0.020), suggesting the less active and/or less healthy eating habits, the higher body mass was noted for the child. Forty four percent of children (n = 99) were in the overweight/obese weight range based on maximum BMI z score. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest there is a need for parental/caregiver nutrition education to assist children with SB with meal and activity planning to achieve optimal health.enAttribution-NonCommercial 4.0 InternationalSpina bifidanutrition knowledgephysical activityfood accessArticle