Dietary habits of preschool aged children with tonsillar hypertrophy, pre- and post-operatively

K.K. Gkouskou 1, I.M. Vlastos* 1, I. Hajiioannou 3, I. Hatzaki 1, M. Houlakis 2, G.A. Fragkiadakis 1

1 Technological Edutation Institute (T.E.I) of Crete, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Siteia (Greece) 2 Department of Otolaryngology, Agia Sophia Children Hospital of Athens (Greece) 3 Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, General Hospital of Nikaia “Agios Panteleimon”, Pireaus (Greece)

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• Otorhinolaryngology

Abstract. – Background and Objectives: Tonsillectomy has been reported to have a positive effect on weight gain of children with tonsillar hypertrophy. This effect may be related to better respiration or/and feeding, immunological or metabolic factors. In this study we analyse the effect of tonsillectomy on the dietary habits of children.
Subjects and Methods: Dietary habits of thirty 4-6 years old children were assessed before the operation and six months after it, using 24 hours dietary-recalls. In parallel, dietary habits of eighteen healthy children of the same age were assessed using the same method.
Results: Children with tonsillar hypertrophy were receiving greater amounts of daily calories overall from sugar products, soft drinks and edible fats (p = 0.01, t = 2.673). Post-operatively, they increased the calories they were consuming daily and consumed even greater amounts of these food (p < 0.001, t = 3.527) in relation to the control group, gaining weight significantly (p = 0.043).
Discussion: Parents should be aware of a possible weight increase after tonsillectomy which can be related to an over-consumption of products like candies and soft drinks.

Corresponding Author: I.M. Vlastos, MD; e-mail: giannisvlastos@yahoo.gr