The nutritional status of children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) has a significant impact on their overall health and quality of life. Most of the scientific research, exploring NDD children's nutrition, has been dedicated to cerebral palsy (CP) patients who are reported to suffer from malnutrition in 46%-90% of the cases. The etiology of malnutrition in children with NDD involves many underlying factors and can be contributed to both nutritional and non-nutritional factors. Obesity typically associated with mentally retarded children and children with genetic syndromes (e.g. Down syndrome) is nowadays less frequently observed. The energy needs of children with severe cases of central nervous system disorder differ from the energy requirements of normally developing children. The difference can be largely attributed to the interplay of several factors affecting the basal metabolic rate. The prevalence of malnutrition can induce or worsen respiratory failure as well as secondary immune deficiency, which in turn affects the prognosis of the underlying disease. Macronutrient deficiency in NDD children is commonly accompanied by micronutrient losses of folate, iron, magnesium, vitamin D, essential fatty acids, etc., which are crucial for a number of metabolic pathways. The lacking in any or all macro-and micronutrients may produce symptoms that are difficult to distinguish from the already present neurological disorder. This situation calls for a comprehensive evaluation and nutritional support for NDD children for an improved prognosis and quality of life, considering the current data and knowledge on the problem.

Introduction:The growing interest in organic products raises the question of who buys organic foods. The existing literature reveals the role of some sociodemographic factors (age, income).Aim: The aim of this article is to study the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of organic food consumers.Materials and Methods: From November 2020-April 2021, 150 consumers from Dobrich district were interviewed about their awareness and attitude to buy organic foods.The results of the study were statistically processed using Jamovi, version 2.2.5. The criterion χ 2 (Pearson's Chi-square) was used, with significance levels α = 0.05 and α = 0.1. Results:The largest relative share of regular consumers is that of individuals buying organic foods once a week. The analysis of the data shows that the relative share of women in the sample predominates.A statistically significant difference was found in nine of the tested hypotheses about the differences between men and women. The data show that more often women are the ones who buy food products, incl. organic foods. Conclusion:The profile of the consumers of organic foods is related to gender. The growing trend towards the consumption of organic food in the world, including in Bulgaria, is due to the potential health benefits, to which mostly women have an attitude.

Introduction: The assessment of the causes for malnutrition in children with neurological impairment (NI) in Bulgaria is challenging due to the heterogeneity of the leading diagnosis. In the case of soreness of the oral mucosa due to inflammatory processes or mechanical irritation, children experience discomfort and this disrupts the normal course of chewing. So far, no association between undernutrition in children with NI and the condition of the oral mucosa has been examined in Bulgaria.Aim: The aim of this article is to evaluate the condition of the oral mucosa and its relationship to the nutritional status of children with NI. Materials and Methods: About 54 patients with NI were recruited for the study, which took place between April and October 2017. Twenty-five of them lived in family settings and 29 in residential care (RC) in Var-

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