A practical approach for the nutritional management of obesity in spinal cord injury

The management of obesity is difficult for the able-bodied, but it is even more so for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) who experience loss of lean body mass, limited independence and movement, and decreased sympathetic nervous system activity. Obesity in chronic SCI is characteristic of metabolic syndrome and attempts at weight loss are often futile; prevention is critical. Nutritional interventions, starting from initial injury, should be aimed at diminishing lean body mass loss without incurring unwanted weight gain. An understanding of how inflammation alters nutrient utilization can help guide in the appropriate selection of enteral formulas, oral nutritional supplements, and/or dietary food choices.