{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,2]],"date-time":"2026-04-02T09:20:06Z","timestamp":1775121606129,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,2]],"date-time":"2026-04-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1775088000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Fondazione Pezzoli per la Malattia di Parkinson"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Introduction: Malnutrition and sarcopenia are commonly observed in African patients with Parkinson\u2019s disease (PD); however, limited data exist regarding the nutritional status and body composition of PD patients in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aims to describe the clinical, nutritional, and anthropometric characteristics of PD patients from Sogakope, in the Volta Region of Ghana. Methods: A total of 20 PD patients were recruited. All participants underwent comprehensive clinical and nutritional assessments. Motor symptoms were evaluated with the Unified Parkinson\u2019s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Dealing with non-motor symptoms, constipation was diagnosed according to the Roma III Criteria while dysphagia was assessed using the Swallowing Disturbance Questionnaire. The presence and impact of sialorrhea was determined using the Sialorrhea Clinical Scale. Nutritional assessment was performed with the Mini Nutritional Assessment short form (MNA-sf). Body composition parameters were measured using Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA), and muscle strength was evaluated with the Handgrip Strength Test. Correlations were assessed by Pearson or Spearman correlation analysis, as appropriate. Partial correlation analysis controlling for significant clinical variables was also performed. Results: Daily caloric intake was significantly lower compared to Western populations and was associated with a reduced body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage. Constipation (80%) and sarcopenia (45%) were highly prevalent, whereas dysphagia was reported in only 15% of participants. Over 75% of patients were at risk of malnutrition. A significant inverse correlation was found between thigh circumference and disease duration (r = \u22120.517; p = 0.02). Additionally, protein intake (g\/kg\/day) was inversely correlated with motor symptom severity, as measured by the UPDRS Part III in the ON state (r = \u22120.544; p = 0.02). Conclusions: This study demonstrates a high prevalence of nutritional deficiencies, sarcopenia, and altered body composition in Ghanaian PD patients. These nutritional impairments are significantly associated with disease duration and motor symptom severity. The findings highlight the urgent need for early nutritional screening and intervention as part of a multidisciplinary approach to Parkinson\u2019s disease management in resource-limited settings.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm15072686","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,2]],"date-time":"2026-04-02T07:57:55Z","timestamp":1775116675000},"page":"2686","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Correlations Between Clinical, Anthropometric and Nutritional Evaluations in Patients with Parkinson\u2019s Disease from Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Carlotta","family":"Bolliri","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Fondazione Pezzoli per la Malattia di Parkinson, 20125 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9546-8567","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luca","family":"Magistrelli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Parkinson Institute Milan, ASST G.Pini-CTO, 20126 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5021-3624","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francesca","family":"Del Sorbo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Parkinson Institute Milan, ASST G.Pini-CTO, 20126 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7092-7034","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anna","family":"Zecchinelli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Parkinson Institute Milan, ASST G.Pini-CTO, 20126 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Daniela","family":"Calandrella","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Fondazione Pezzoli per la Malattia di Parkinson, 20125 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0464-1449","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Momodou","family":"Cham","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Richard Novati Catholic Hospital, Sogakope P.O. Box SK 95, Ghana"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-6131-2112","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elikem","family":"Ame-Bruce","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Richard Novati Catholic Hospital, Sogakope P.O. Box SK 95, Ghana"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0747-1951","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emanuele","family":"Cereda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Fondazione Pezzoli per la Malattia di Parkinson, 20125 Milan, Italy"},{"name":"Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Chiara","family":"Pusani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Parkinson Institute Milan, ASST G.Pini-CTO, 20126 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ioannis Ugo","family":"Isaias","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Fondazione Pezzoli per la Malattia di Parkinson, 20125 Milan, Italy"},{"name":"Parkinson Institute Milan, ASST G.Pini-CTO, 20126 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Michela","family":"Barichella","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Fondazione Pezzoli per la Malattia di Parkinson, 20125 Milan, Italy"},{"name":"Parkinson Institute Milan, ASST G.Pini-CTO, 20126 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Gianni","family":"Pezzoli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Fondazione Pezzoli per la Malattia di Parkinson, 20125 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"509","DOI":"10.1038\/nrn.2017.91","article-title":"Non-motor features of Parkinson disease","volume":"18","author":"Schapira","year":"2017","journal-title":"Nat. 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