Nutritional Status, Body Composition and Cardiometabolic Profile in Individuals with Tetraplegia: A Pilot Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Individuals with chronic tetraplegia frequently present altered body composition and metabolic dysregulation, which may not be adequately reflected by traditional markers such as body mass index. This study aimed to evaluate body composition, dietary patterns, and biochemical profiles in adults with chronic tetraplegia, and to explore cross-domain associations between these outcomes. Materials and Methods: Eleven adults with chronic tetraplegia underwent anthropometric assessment (BMI, body fat %, triceps skinfold), dietary evaluation, and fasting biochemical analysis (lipids and glucose). Data distribution was tested with Shapiro-Wilk. Between-sex comparisons were explored with Mann-Whitney U tests. Pearson correlations were performed across domains (diet-body composition; diet-biochemical markers; body composition-biochemical markers). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Despite normal BMI values, participants showed elevated body fat percentages. Dietary intake was characterized by excessive lipid consumption and suboptimal protein contribution. Cross-domain correlations revealed that higher energy and macronutrient intakes were associated with one another. Protein intake was inversely correlated with triglyceride levels (r = -0.63, p = 0.038), while triceps skinfold showed a strong correlation with body fat percentage (r = 0.78, p = 0.004). Fasting glucose was positively correlated with total cholesterol (r = 0.61, p = 0.046). Most correlations did not reach statistical significance, likely due to limited sample size, but provided exploratory insight into the interplay between diet, adiposity, and metabolic markers. Conclusions: Individuals with chronic tetraplegia may exhibit increased adiposity and early metabolic alterations despite normal BMI and modest reported energy intake. These findings reinforce the inadequacy of BMI for nutritional assessment in SCI and highlight the need for integrated evaluation-including body composition, dietary quality, and biochemical monitoring-to guide personalized interventions aimed at reducing cardiometabolic risk.