A study of nutritional status, development of malnutrition and food consumption in hospitalized patients
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Purpose: To investigate the nutritional status of patients on admission and during hospital stay, the factors leading to weight loss, and to evaluate patient satisfaction of hospital food. Methods: On admission, Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS-2002), weight, height, Body Mass Index (BMI), mid upper arm circumference (MAC) measurements were carried out; serum total protein and albumin levels were recorded. Upon discharge, measurements of weight, MAC were repeated, along with a food satisfaction questionnaire. Results: Patients with NRS-2002>3, BMI<20, were classified as nutrionally at risk which were 43.6% and 9.4% respectively. Of the patients, 77% lost weight (2.6±1.9 kg). Patients who were determined to be malnourished on admission by BMI and NRS-2002 stayed longer in hospital (p<0.0 and p<0.001, respectively). The relationships between weight loss and lenght of stay, use of medications and period of starvation were significant (p<0.0001, for each). Of the patients, 49.9% did not satisfy with the hospital food. Conclusions: Nutritional status of hospitalized patients should be screened with NRS-2002, assessed and monitored.
Keywords: NRS-2002, hospital malnutrition, hospital food services
Downloads
Article Details
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).