Body composition in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease

Malnutrition and assessment of body composition is an important topic in inflammatory bowel disease. The pathomechanism of malnutrition is complex and related to anorexia, abnormal digestion, malabsorption, and chronic inflammation. Anthropometric parameters and BMI are not precise to reflect the nutritional status. Meanwhile, recent studies emphasize that low fat-free mass, especially, sarcopenia is associated with a worse prognosis, such as an increased risk for surgery, biological therapy, and disease complications. On the other hand, obesity and increased fat mass are also associated with poor outcomes in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Furthermore, the dosage of some drugs may need adjustment in the case of obese patients with inflammatory bowel disease.